Variation in specific gravity of potato tubers

Specific gravity of tubers from the Irish Cobbler, Kennebec, Norgold Russet, Norland, Red Pontiac, Russet Burbank, Snowflake, and Viking varieties grown at 2 locations over 3 years were determined by the brine solution method. The usual differences in specific gravity were noted between varieties and locations. There was a narrow range in specific gravity of individual tubers within lots of Norland and Russet Burbank, and a wide range within lots of Kennebec and Snowflake, with the remaining varieties intermediate. Low variation of tubers within a variety as measured by standard deviation did not indicate low or high specific gravity. Varieties with low variation tended to remain low from one year to the next.     

The treatment of potato tubers with sprout inhibitors

Summary Working with the sprout inhibitors IPC and CIPC we compared 3 treatment methods: (1) a 10 ppm dosage of powder distributed over the tubers, (2) a Swingfog treatment (atomizing a solution in the air duct, dosage up to 20 ppm), (3) a porous cartridge containing the inhibitor placed in the air duct. To obtain good sprout inhibition in connection with accumulated IPC/CIPC residue values below the legal level of 0.5 mg per kg peeled tubers we advise the powder treatment only for relatively long storage (up to May–June); a 10 or 20 ppm Swingfog treatment for short storage (up to January–February) or longer storage respectively. With the cartridge system we obtained promising results; good sprout inhibition and satisfactorily low residue values.     

The relation between specific gravity and dry matter content of potato tubers

The theoretical basis of the relationship between the percentage of dry matter in a potato and its specific gravity is examined. The relationship is hyperbolic but, for values of dry matter percentage usually encountered with potatoes, a linear approximation is adequate. However the specific gravity of a tuber depends not only on the percentage of dry matter in it but also on the density of the dry matter and the percentage of air in the tissue. Thus dry matter percentages estimated from specific gravities may be in error if it is assumed that the linear approximation is constant.     

The relationship between specific gravity and percentage dry matter in potato tubers

Specific gravity and percentage dry matter were determined for 1269 potato samples taken over a period of six years. The correlation coefficient between these properties over the whole material was 0.912 and the regression equation was: % dry matter = ?217.2 + 221.2 (specific gravity). When the material was broken down into smaller, logically defined groups, such as a single cultivar, regression lines often deviated from this general line, although in most cases the correlation coefficients were still quite high. This means that the quantitative relationship between specific gravity and dry matter content was not sufficiently stable to serve as a general measure of prediction under all conditions. It seems probable that various production areas of the United States will have to develop the line which is best suited to their conditions, and that some cultivars may require separate lines.     

Influence of bud position on the formation of tubers on multiple node cuttings of potato (Solanum tuberosum L.)

Summary Stem cuttings with variable number and position of leaves and variable number and age of buds were used to study the preference of tuberization at certain buds when several potential tuber sites were present. These cuttings were exposed to different orientations of the cuttings themselves and/or their light source. Inverting the cuttings did not affect overall tuberization, but had significant effects on individual buds, probably by the interaction between the original basipetal patterns in the cuttings and gravity effects. A smaller angle to the horizontal and lighting from below increased the overall expression of the tuberization stimulus. Leaf and bud position or age affected expression in a complicated manner, but the distance between screened bud and light-exposed leaf was crucial; buds most distant from illuminated leaves showed the strongest induction. The basic pattern of tuberization was basipetal.     

Studies on potato sprout suppressants. 4. The distribution of tecnazene in potato tubers and the effect of processing on residue levels

Summary Tecnazene (1, 2, 4, 5-tetrachloro-3-nitrobenzene) treated potato tubers analysed by a gas chromatographic method were found to contain tecnazene residue levels ranging from 8.2 mg kg¹ near the surface of the tubers to approximately 0.2 mg kg¹ near the centre of the tubers. Residue levels in laboratory and commercially treated samples were examined at various stages during a commerical crisp manufacturing process. Peeling removed 85–95% of the total residue, leaving 0.14 0.21 mg kg¹ in the sliced sample. There was a further loss of tecnazene during the cooling stage. Frying increased the residue level to 0.55–0.60 mg kg¹ due to the effect of water loss. The final product after packaging contained 0.25 mg kg¹ tecnazene. The frying oil becomes contaminated with tecnazene whilst processing treated tubers and this contamination canbe transferred to untreated batches.

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Zusammenfassung Tecnazen (1, 2, 4, 5-Tetrachlor-3-Nitrobenzen) wird immer mehr von den Kartoffelverarbeitern verwendet, weil es die Wundheilung nicht hemmt und deshalb schon bei der Einlagerung der Knollen angewendet werden kann. Wegen dieser steigenden Verwendung wurde die vorliegende Untersuchung vorgenommen, um mehr Information zu beschaffen über die Tiefe, bis zu der Tecnazen in die Knolle eindringt, und über das Verhalten der Tecnazen-Rückst?nde w?hrend der Chips-Fabrikation. 10 mm dicke Schichten wurden wiederholt von Knollen entfernt, die mit Tecnazen bei empfohlener Dosis von 135 mg a.i. kg¹ behandelt und w?hrend 4 Monaten bei 10°C eingelagert wurden. Jede Schicht wurde dann mittels Gaschromatographie analysiert. Die sich daraus ergebenden Rückstandsgrade sind in Tabelle 1 aufgeführt. Die Einflüsse der Chips-Fabrikation auf die Rückstandsgrade wurden untersucht, indem in verschiedenen Stadien der verarbeitung von im Handel und im Labor behandelten Knollenpartien Muster entnommen wurden. Die Ergebnisse sind in Tabelle 2 aufgeführt. Es wurde festgestellt, das 85–95% des Gesamtrückstandes in einer Knolle durch Sch?len entfernt werden kann. Zurück bleiben 0.14 0.21 mg kg¹ in dem in Scheiben geschnittenen Muster. Backen erh?ht den Rückstandsgrad auf 0.55 0.60 mg kg¹ infolge des Wasserverlustes. Das Endprodukt eines Handelsmusters enthielt nach der Verpackung 0.25 mg kg¹ Tecnazen. Das Back?l wurde w?hrend der Verarbeitung von behandeltem Material mit Tecnazen verseucht, und diese Verseuchung wurde auf eine nachfolgende unbehandelte Partie übertragen.

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Résumé Le tecnazène (1, 2, 4, 5-tetrachloro-3-nitrobenzene) est de plus en plus utilisé par les industriels de la pomme de terre car il n'empêche pas la cicatrisation des blessures et peut donc être appliqué lors du remplissage des cellules de conservation. La présente étude a été entreprise en raison de cet accroissement d'emploi, afin d'obtenir davantage d'informations sur la profondeur de pénétration du tecnazène et sur l'évolution des résidus de tecnazène au cours de la fabrication des chips. A plusieurs reprises, des tranches de 10 mm d'épaisseur sont prélevées sur des tubercules traités au tecnazène, à la dose recommandée de 135 mg m.a. kg¹, et conservés à + 10 °C pendant 4 mois. Une analyse par chromatographie en phase gazeuse est alors effectuée sur chaque tranche; les teneurs en résidus figurent au tableau 1. L'effet de la transformation en chips sur le niveau de résidus est étudié en échantillonnant à différents stades de la fabrication industrielle et sur des lots de tubercules traités au laboratoire. Les résultats figurent au tableau 2. Ils montrent que 85 95% du total des résidus du tubercule disparaissent à l'épluchage. Il ne reste dans l'échantillon découpé en tranches que 0,14–0,21 mg kg¹. La friture augmente la teneur en résidus à 0,55–0,60 mg kg¹ en raison de la déshydratation. Le produit fini, extrait d'un échantillon du commerce, contient 0,25mg kg¹ de tecnazène après emballage. L'huile de friture se charge en tecnazène pendant la fabrication, et peut contaminer les lots non traités.

     

The effects of volatile oils on in vitro potato sprout growth

Summary The effects of 10 volatile oils and their main compounds on potato sprout growth were investigated in vitro. Sprout growth was inhibited especially by the volatile oils fromOriganum onites, Rosa damascena, Carum carvi, Mentha piperita, Echinophora tuneifolia andCoriandrum sativum. The major compound of volatile oils was carvacrol (78.2%) inO. onites, citronellol (46.7%) inR. damascena, S-(+)-carvone (54.9%) inC. carvi, menthol (44.1%) inM. piperita, α phelladrene (45.9%) inE. tuneifolia and linalool (76.5%) inC. sativum. The results showed that some volatile oils rich in monoterpenic compounds such as carvacrol, citronellol, geraniol, nerol and S-(+)-carvone were able to prevent the growth of sprouts and extend the storage-life of the potato tubers.