Quality assessment of antishock systems for potatoes

Summary Loading trailers and trucks includes a high risk for mechanical damage to potatoes, particularly when no anti-shock system is used. Manufacturers offer anti-shock equipment to reduce mechanical damage. A selection of anti-shock systems was compared. Firstly, the effect of protecting the product layer at the bottom of the trailer was investigated by dropping tubers in the empty trailer and analysing tissue discolouration and cracks. The combination of a shock absorber and a mattress yielded the highest bruise protection. Secondly, to investigate the bruising profile in the trailer and the damage reduction effect of each anti-shock system a bulk mass of potatoes was dumped into the trailer. Five hundred test potatoes were mixed into the bulk mass. Test potatoes were visually analysed for bruising and compared with controls (anti-shock systems absent). The results allowed the introduction of a mathematical relationship between drop height and tissue discolouration. Using an anti-shock system bruising was reduced by 10–90%, depending on the system and the bulk layer. On-field experiments were carried out to validate laboratory results. However site-specific harvest conditions and variable commodity properties made comparisons difficult.     

Rates of internal blackspot bruise development in potato tubers under conditions of elevated temperatures and gas pressures

Internal blackspot bruising was produced in Russet Burbank tubers by dropping a 150 g weight 40 cm through a slotted guide tube and incubating the tubers for varying time periods at temperatures ranging from 10 to 80 C. When potatoes were bruised following 1 to 5 months storage, those tubers incubated at 10 C required 48 hr for maximum blackspot development. Increasing the incubation temperature accelerated blackspot formation with an optimum response at 36 to 40 C. At 40 C tubers reached maximum discoloration within 6 hr. Bruised tubers were also exposed to combinations of varied temperatures and varied gas pressures of 0.3 to 2.1 kg/cm² using air, O₂, CO₂, and N₂. Pressurized air slightly enhanced the temperature effect at 40 C; pressurized O₂ had no significant effect upon blackspot development, while CO₂ and N₂ inhibited blackspot formation. Blackspot bruises incurred in the field during harvest required a longer incubation period at a lower temperature than did bruises inflicted on tubers held in storage for 1 to 5 months.     

Specific gravity,potato chip color and tuber mineral content as affected by soil moisture and harvest dates

In 1966 and 1967 the chipping quality of three potato varieties was studied using three moisture regumes, two nitrogen levels, and three harvest dates. Specific gravity and chip color of potatoes freshly harvested and of those stored 10 days, along with chip color differences between the two periods, were tested. Of the three varieties tested — Anoka, Kennebec, Irish Cobbler — Anoka§ specific gravity was least depressed by soil-moisture stress and its chip color least affected by time of chipping; all tubers, however, chipped darker after being stored. High soil temperatures were associated with low specific gravities and dark chips. In 1966 irrigation tended to lower soil temperature, resulting in lighter chip color for potatoes harvested from irrigated than from nonirrigated plots; also color was lighter at the first than at the later harvests. In 1967, when air temperatures were consistently lower and rainfall nearly adequate, chip color was lighter for potatoes harvester later in the season. Nitrogen levels did not influence chip color. Moisture regimes and varieties influenced mineral content of tubers more consistently for the two years than did harvest dates or nitrogen levels. Specific gravity did not correlate significantly with chip color.     

Factors contributing to the blackspot bruise potential of Idaho potato fields

Blackspot bruise is a major problem in the fresh market and frozen french fry industry. The blackspot bruise potential of Russet Burbank and Ranger Russet in Idaho potato fields was determined by surveying commercial fields during 1993 and 1994. Management factors were monitored to determine what practices were contributing to blackspot susceptibility in addition to mechanical damage. The survey included 17 Russet Burbank and 3 Ranger Russet fields in 1993, and 28 Russet Burbank and 8 Ranger Russet fields in 1994. The 1993 season was unusually cool and wet whereas 1994 was warmer than normal, resulting in a wide range of environmental conditions for the 2 year study. Blackspot bruise potential was determined at different stages of tuber physiological maturity by collecting samples several weeks prior to normal harvest, immediately before harvest, and after storing sub-samples for several months. The blackspot bruise potential was measured by both impact and abrasive peel tests. Field maturity was the factor most consistently related to blackspot potential both years. In 1994 a multiple regression of 3 independent variables — field maturity index, specific gravity, and percent available soil water at tuber sampling, compared with the blackspot potential as the dependent variable gave a correlation coefficient of r = 0.73 (p = 0.001). Due to the cool, wet growing season in 1993, there was not enough variability in specific gravity and available soil water among the fields sampled for these factors to correlate with the blackspot potential. The available fertility data, although not complete for all fields, indicated no direct relationship between N, P, or K fertilization and blackspot potential. Preharvest samples in late August had lower blackspot potential than harvest samples in mid September, and storage samples in February had the highest susceptibility. There was a consistent increase in blackspot severity when tubers were equilibrated at 4 C compared with 10 C prior to bruising.     

The effect of cultivation procedure on the liability to freezing of ground-keepers

Summary In a model experiment it was shown how potato tubers after harvest present on or in the soil are moved by ploughing and cultivation. It was demonstrated that as a result of ploughing many tubers were moved to a greater depth, while if a cultivator was used the vertical movement was only slight. This indicates that in areas where winter temperatures are sufficiently low, volunteer potatoes can be controlled reasonably well if, before the winter, fields on which potatoes have been grown are cultivated by a non-turning soil treatment with suitable machinery, instead of ploughing. *** DIRECT SUPPORT *** A00C5013 00005     

A classification system for impact-related defects in potato tubers

The type of tuber bruise that occurs for a given severity of impact indicates the condition of that tuber in relation to its impact sensitivity. This article describes a system for classifying such bruises. Such information is important because sensitive tubers can be re-conditioned (e.g., temperature and/or hydration can be adjusted) to reduce risk of bruising during harvesting and handling. Each class of bruise is described, illustrated, and related to tuber condition. The literature review illustrates the inadequacies of previous bruise evaluation systems in relating bruise type to tuber condition. Growers, processors, storage operators and fresh packers can use this system to make informed decisions on adjusting modifiable factors such as temperature, hydration level, and impact velocity to reduce impact-related defects during harvesting and handling of potatoes.     

The influence of curing conditions on weight loss of potatoes during storage

During investigations in 1968 and 1969 it was found that final weight losses of potatoes during storage were strongly influenced by the temperature and relative humidity under which the potatoes were kept for a limited period immediately after harvest. After initial temperatures not lower than 7.5 C and up to 20 C with a relative humidity of 100% for two weeks followed by storage at 5 C and 85% relative humidity, weight losses at the end of the storage period amounted to 4.8–5.0% in 1968 and 5.6–5.9% in 1969 as compared to, respectively, 6.8 and 7.5% for tubers which had been placed at 5 C and 85% relative humidity immediately after harvest. If the relative humidity was low during the first two weeks after harvest, weight losses, at the same temperature, ranged from 5.1 to 5.8% in 1968 and from 6.6 to 7.0% in 1969.     

Quality of stored potatoes improved by chemical treatment

A combination spray of CIPC, thiabendazole, and chlorine applied to potatoes at time of storage negated the detrimental effect of CIPC when applied to freshly harvested tubers. It also prevented sprouting and reduced the incidence of pressure bruise. The application of thiabendazole and chlorine reduced Fusarium tuber rot and the degree of tissue degradation around wounds, thereby increasing tuber quality.     

Mineral element content of potato plants and tubers vs. yields

Linear equations for estimating the amounts of N, P, K, Ca, Mg and S removed from the soil as a function of yield are given for Russet Burbank potatoes. The equations were obtained from chemical analyses of potatoes grown using various ratios and rates of fertilizer, planting dates and harvest dates during 1966 to 1969 in the Columbia Basin of the state of Washington. The percentage mineral element composition of the tubers remained relatively uniform for the different ratios and rates of fertilizer but varied some due to the length of season. The correlation coefficients of chemical composition of the vines with chemical composition of tubers were low as were those relating amount in vines to yield. The correlation coefficients relating amounts of elements in the tubers to yield were 0.9 or greater.     

影响马铃薯块茎品质性状的环境因子分析

马铃薯品质主要取决于块茎成分及其含量,包括淀粉、蛋白质、糖和维生素等。块茎内各成分的含量除受遗传基础和生理特性控制外,还主要因自然生态环境条件和人为栽培因素的不同而发生变化。本文主要介绍了影响马铃薯品质性状的光照、温度、水分、土壤特性等自然生态环境因素,以及种植密度、肥料、病虫害等人为栽培因素。通过对影响马铃薯块茎品质性状的生态条件和栽培因素的分析,进一步了解块茎品质与环境因子的相互关系和作用机理,为马铃薯引种工作提供一定的科学依据。     

Reducing chilling injury of potatoes by intermittent warming

Potato tubers held continuously 19 weeks at 32 F developed chillinginjury symptoms early during storage and the symptoms worsened with time in storage. Early symptoms included browning and surface mold on skinned areas. By 11 weeks mahogany browning, blackheart, and hollow heart, bluish skin discoloration and sinking of intact skin were visible in daylight. And under ultraviolet light, yellow fluorescence was visible in halos, washes, or spots around or near internal tuber tissues discolored by other chilling-injury symptoms. Some damage at 32 F became visible after subsequent holding of tubers for 1 week at 60 F. Tubers accumulated high amounts of reducing and total sugar at 32 F and respiration, measured at 60 F as CO₂ evolved, was progressively stimulated by time at 32 F. Sugar build-up, respiration-rate increase, and chilling injury seemed to show no cause-and-effect relationship but appeared as separate phenomena each caused by the stress of holding tubers at too low a temperature. Moving potatoes to 60 F for 1 week after every 3rd week to interrupt storage at 32 practically eliminated all forms of chilling injury except skin browning and surface mold which were greatly reduced. Sugar content and respiration rates in tubers intermittently held at low and high temperatures were higher after periods in low temperature and lower after periods at 60 F, and in general were maintained at levels much lower than in potatoes held continuously at 32, 36, or 40 F. In all treatments sugar content was higher than desirable for chipping type potatoes. Holding potatoes at 60 F for 1 to 4 weeks before placing them at 32 F reduced skin browning and surface mold but had no effect on other forms of chilling injury, sugar accumulation, or respiration rates in tubers as measured after 15 to 19 weeks continuously at 32 F. Practically no chilling-injury symptom except for very little mold growth and browning of skinned areas developed in tubers held in 36 or 40 F.     

Bacterial soft rot potential in washed potato tubers in relation to temperatures of tubers and water during simulated commercial handling practices

The bacterial soft rot potential in potato tubers was affected by differences in temperature between tubers and suspensions ofErwinia carotovora at the time of inoculation by immersion. In general, disease severity after incubation was higher when tuber temperatures were higher as opposed to equal to or lower than that of water containing cells of the bacterium. Disease severity was also greater when tubers were stored at 20° to 23°C in contrast to 4° or 26° to 30°C for 16–18 h prior to immersion. Tubers with a pulp temperature of 8°C were more prone to bruise injury as compared with those at 18°C when struck with a pendulum type bruising instrument. When the injured tubers were inoculated and incubated, most bruises became infected with soft rot bacteria.     

Measurement of black spot susceptibility of potatoes

The black spot reaction was initiated by dropping plugs of varying weights from different heights onto the stem end of potatoes with known temperatures. The degree of discoloration was assessed in a scale from 0 to 5, the results were added and the sum was divided by the number of tubers. Relationships between black spot incidence, temperature and impact were very close in samples containing 100 or more tubers. This was not always the case, however, if samples were of a more manageable size of 20 to 25 tubers. Results indicated the desirability of testing under a standard set of conditions—such as 100 g falling 30 cm onto the stem end of tubers with a temperature of 10 C. The results of visual assessment of the black spots were closely related to the results of a more objective, but also more laborious, method in which the amount of discolored tissue was weighed.     

Effect of planting and harvest dates,location in the hill and tuber size on sugar content of Kennebec potatoes

A study was made with the Kennebec cultivar on the effect of planting and harvest times, location of tubers in the hill and tuber size on fructose, glucose and sucrose in tubers at harvest. The location of tubers in the hill did not affect fructose or glucose and had only a small effect on sucrose found in the tubers. Small tubers were higher in all three sugars than large tubers, and tubers from plants seeded later were higher in glucose and sucrose than tubers from plants seeded early. The early plantings at all harvests outyielded the late plantings. This together with the higher quality (lower sugars) support the recommendation that Kennebec potatoes to be used for processing should be planted early.     

Gamma irradiation of potatoes: Effects on sugar content,chip color,germination, greening,and susceptibility to mold

Russet Burbank potatoes that had been stored at 40°F. for 5 months after harvest were irradiated with 5,200 and 14,000 rad of Co⁶⁰ gamma rays. In general, irradiation caused an accumulation of sugars. At 40°F., the sucrose level rose to nearly 3 times that of the control in 16 days following irradiation. Fructose and glucose showed smaller increases and the latter did not accumulate significantly in the tubers given the higher dose of gamma rays. At 70°F., the levels of sucrose and glucose in the irradiated tubers rose above those in the controls, the difference reaching a maximum in 4 days and then declining. Irradiation had no effect on loss of fructose at this temperature. Color of potato chips processed from the irradiated potatoes was in general darker than that of chips from control tubers. The storage-time pattern of color change resembled that of the reducing rather than total sugar. Fourteen thousand rad did not prevent initiation of germination in the tubers but did destroy their sprout-growth apparatus. Although the lower dosage did not prevent initiation and subsequent growth, it prevented the formation of secondary tubers, which appeared on the sprouted control tubers. Furthermore, unlike the controls, the low-dosage potatoes developed branching hair sprouts with no tendency toward apical dominance during the early stages of sprouting. The rate of greening of gamma-irradiated and illuminated tubers was significantly less than that of unirradiated illuminated controls. Evidence is presented that irradiation may increase the susceptibility of potatoes to attack by molds under some conditions.     

Chipping performance of three processing potato cultivars during long-term storage at two temperature regimes

Three potato cultivars (Russet Burbank, Norchip, and Gemchip) grown with nitrogen applied at three rates were stored at two temperature regimes (Treatment 1: 13 months at 10 CTreatment 2: 1 month at 10 C; followed by a 1 C decrease per week until tubers were 4 C; followed by 6 months at 4 C; followed by a 1 C increase per week until tubers were 10 C; followed by 3 months at 10 C). Tuber chemical components and potato chip appearance were measured at harvest and after 3, 6, 9, 11, 12, and 13 months; these measurements were performed within 24 hours of the time potatoes were removed from storage. Sugar responses (tuber glucose, fructose, sucrose) and potato chip appearance were affected by cultivar over time in both years and storage temperatures. Russet Burbank tubers displayed a significantly higher glucose forming potential and produced darker appearing chips, regardless of storage temperature or time in storage, compared to Norchip and Gemchip. Potatoes receiving a cold-storage treatment contained less sugar and produced lighter appearing chips after 12 months storage compared to tubers stored at a constant 10 C for 12 months. The linear association between tuber chemical components and potato chip appearance varied with storage temperature.     

Dynamic mechanical properties of the Russet Burbank potato as related to temperature and bruise susceptibility

An electro-mechanical vibration exciter and a dropped weight impact device were utilized to determine changes in dynamic mechanical properties of the Russet Burbank potato as influenced by temperature. The vibration exciter was utilized to study the compressive stress-strain relationship for core samples of tuberin the frequency range of 50 to 300 Hz and for temperatures from 35 to 85°F (2 to 30°C) Complex dynamic modulus, storage modulus, and phase angle were found to be independent of temperature but increased with frequency in the interval 50 to 300 Hz. Significant differences in the dynamic mechanical properties of tuber flesh were found according to location along the tuber where the samples were selected. In this study, the complex dynamic modulus was lower for the stem end than for the bud end of the tuber as was the bruise susceptibility Susceptibility of the tubers to bruise damage was evaluated by impacting the tubers with a dropped weight. Depth of bruise was found to be equivalent to length, width, area, or volume of bruise for determining bruise susceptibility. When the velocity of approach of the weight was considered, the ability to predict changes in bruise susceptibility was doubled over that of using temperature alone. This is an improtant finding because it may account for some of the unexplained variations in results of some previous studies where the impact device has been used The response of the Russet Burbank potato to impact was determined by placing a piezoelectric accelerometer in a falling weight. The acceleration-time history of the impact was recorded on a storage oscilloscope. Impact parameters were highly dependent on height of drop. Results of numerical integration of the acceleration-time curves are presented. Peak deformation was found to occur after the point of peak acceleration. Discontinuities in the acceleration-time traces were good indicators of severe damage     

Inter-stem and inter-tuber competition in potatoes

Summary Seed pieces of varying size and bearing different numbers of uniform growing sprouts were planted in specific combinations. Sequential harvests were made and the growth of the plants followed. There appeared to be competition between emerging sprouts for nutrients and water from the soil. This competition influenced the number of stems produced per sprout and the size attained by these stems. There was no effect of size of the seed piece on the apparent time to tuber initiation. A constant number of tubers were formed per stem despite large variations in stem size, but the final weight of tubers per stem was lower the greater the number of stems per hill. The number of tubers larger than 2| inches (5.7 cm) remained constant over the whole range of stem numbers per hill and the mean weights of tubers in the two size categories larger than 1| inches (3.2 cm) remained constant after the second harvest. These results suggest that only a few of the tubers in each hill were growing rapidly at any one time. There was no effect of cutting the seed tubers on any aspect of the growth of potatoes that was measured which could not be attributed to an effect on either the size of the seed piece or on the number of sprouts per seed piece.     

Freezing behavior of potato (Solanum tuberosum) tubers in soil

Volunteer potatoes are a major weed problem in potato rotations in regions with mild winter soil temperatures. Freezing dynamics of potato tubers in air have been previously reported, but freezing dynamics of tubers in soil may differ due to ice nucleation sites and soil water associated with soil. Laboratory experiments conducted in hydrated and dry soil columns and field experiments were conducted to determine cold temperatures required to kill potato tubers in soil. Potato tubers in air-dried soil columns exposed to decreasing temperatures typically supercooled to ?3 to ?7 C before exhibiting a distinct exotherm, which stabilized at ?1.4 to ?1.5 C, representing the freezing point of tubers. Tubers that were supercooled and removed from the cold environment before experiencing this exotherm were able to sprout and had no visual symptoms of freezing injury, whereas tubers that experienced the exotherm were nonviable and unable to sprout. Tubers in soil columns hydrated to 7% SWC supercooled much less than tubers in dry soil and exhibited an exotherm that stabilized near ?1.9 C. Tubers exposed to temperatures near the tuber-freezing point (?1.4 to ?1.9 C) for periods of 1 min to 24 h, but not undergoing an exotherm, exhibited varying degrees of injury, which increased with time of exposure. Tubers held at ?1.0 C for 4 to 24 h were unharmed and able to sprout similar to controls. In field trials conducted from 1993 to 1999 in the Columbia Basin of Washington, tubers buried at shallow depths (5 cm) were much more likely to experience lethal cold temperatures than tubers buried deeper. In general, when minimum soil temperature at tuber depth reached ?1.5 to ?1.9 C or lower, some tuber mortality occurred and when soil temperature at tuber depth reached ?2.8 C or lower, extensive tuber death occurred. Monitoring of winter soil temperatures by depth in potato- growing regions could be used to predict severity of volunteer potato for the subsequent growing season.     

Susceptibility to Pressure Flattening Correlates with Texture Analysis of Potato Tubers

The physiological disorder referred to as pressure flattening is a cause of significant economic losses in the storage of Irish potatoes (Solanum tuberosum L.) intended for use in the fresh market. As the flattened area on each tuber becomes larger in diameter or becomes more depressed the USDA quality grade, and therefore the market value of the potatoes is reduced. Experiments were conducted to identify at-harvest which potato lots within and among cultivars were likely to pressure flatten earlier or more severely. The use of an instrumented penetrometer or texture analyzer to measure peak load required for periderm deformation at harvest appears to anticipate correctly the majority of fields from which tubers are more likely to have severe pressure flattening at six months’ storage duration. At-harvest texture analysis appears to segregate varieties according to susceptibility to deformation based on cultivar specific factors that play a role in pressure flattening development during storage. The Pearson correlation coefficient (R²=0.5481) indicates that there is a correlation between tuber texture at harvest and pressure flattened area on the tuber following storage. Testing of tubers from different fields and cultivars as the potatoes are loaded into storage, may allow growers to identify and ship potatoes that are more susceptible before they develop significant pressure flattening.