Growth rate and carbohydrate metabolism of potato tubers exposed to high temperatures

Summary The effect of high tuber temperature (30 °C) on the growth rate and carbohydrate metabolism of tubers was studied with 3 cultivars differing in heat tolerance. Subjecting individual tubers to 30°C for 6 days caused cessation of tuber growth. During this period, non-treated tubers (20°C) on the same plant increased in volume. At 30°C, incorporation of¹⁴C-labelled assimilates into the ethanol-insoluble fraction (mainly starch) as well as the starch content was significantly reduced. In contrast, the incorporation of¹⁴C-labelled assimilates into the sugar fraction was not affected by high tuber temperature. At 30°C the activity of some of the enzymes involved in starch metabolism was depressed. Varietal differences in responses of tuber growth rate and carbohydrate metabolism to high tuber temperature were insignificant. From these preliminary results it is concluded that high soil temperatures may decrease starch content of potato tubers directly by inhibition of the conversion of sugars into starch.     

Some studies on carbohydrates in potato tubers

Summary Starch and pulp were isolated from three cultivars of potato tubers grown in four localities. The starch content in the pulp was determined by an enzymatic method which is shown to be more accurate than a polarimetric method. On an average, 94% of the starch was isolated and 5% remained in the pulp. The change in low-molecular weight carbohydrates in the potato tubers during storage for 2, 4, 7 and 11 weeks at 9 C was studied. Generally there was an increase of sucrose, glucose, fructose andmyo-inositol during the first 2–4 weeks of storage, followed by a diminishing decrease.     

Some effects of low-oxygen atmospheres on potato tubers

American Journal of Potato Research - White Rose potatoes were held in 21, 5, 1, and 1/2% O2 at 68, 59, and 41 F to test their response to atmospheres low in O2 during a simulated transit period of...     

Effect of short- and long-term exposure of seed tubers to low temperatures on the growth and yield of five potato cultivars

Trials were conducted in Alberta with Norchip, Norland, and Russet Burbank and in Ontario with Kennebec, Russet Burbank, Norchip, and Superior tubers to determine their response to short-term exposure to air temperatures of 0, ?1, and ?5 C and to long-term exposure to ?1, 0, 1,2, and 3 C. Exposure of seed tubers to ?1 C from 6 hours to 5 days did not affect growth characteristics or tuber yield of any of the five cultivars studied. Long-term (October–May) exposure to ?1 C in one study severely reduced emergence and tuber yield of Norchip (P<0.05). While the marketable yield of Russet Burbank was also reduced (P<0.05) by this treatment, Norland was not affected. Tubers of all cultivars exposed to air temperatures of ?3 or ?5 C for longer than 24 hours were severely injured and were not planted in the field trials at either location. In Alberta exposure of seed tubers of Norchip, Norland, and Russet Burbank to ?5 C for 6 and 12 hours caused a reduction (not significant) in yield. In Ontario, long-term storage at 1, 2, and 3 C and in combination with short-term (2 weeks) exposure to 0 or 10 C had no effect on growth or marketable yield of Norchip, Russet Burbank, Superior, and Kennebec seed tubers.     

Electrolyte leakage of aging potato tubers and its relationship with sprouting capacity

Summary With advancing physiological age of potato tubers an increase in electrolyte leakage from tuber tissue was observed for various seed lots. This increase was most marked after tubers exhibited sprout growth and corresponded with a decline in tuber water content. Leakage increased minimally with storage time when sprouting was prevented or limited by either dormancy, low storage temperature, or frequent desprouting. Sprouting capacity of tubers increased to a maximum and then declined with storage time. This decline coincided with the increase in electrolyte leakage, suggesting that membrane integrity was one determinant in vigour of seed potato tubers. The pattern of electrolytes leaking from tuber tissue could be described by a function composed of a saturable and a linear component, suggesting two different sources contributing to the leakage. The saturable component, expected to reflect membrane integrity, was most responsive to aging treatments. H/LA Paper No. 93-13. Department of Horticulture and Landscape Architecture, Project No. 1984. College of Agriculture and Home Economics Research Center, Washington State University. This work was supported in part by grant funding from the Washington State Potato Commission.     

Inhibition of potato tuber sprouting: Low levels of cytosolic pyrophosphate lead to non-sprouting tubers harvested from transgenic potato plants

Summary ExpressingE. coli inorganic pyrophosphatase in transgenic plants demonstrated that long distance sucrose transport is dependent on cytosolic pyrophosphate. It was speculated that removal of cytosolic pyrophosphate would impair sucrose utilization during storage of potato tubers and thereby prevent tuber sprouting. To explore this hypothesisSolanum tuberosum var. Désirée plants were transformed with a chimeric PPa gene. FollowingAgrobacterium mediated transformation, metabolite and carbohydrate contents of growing and stored tubers were measured. There was a large accumulation of soluble sugars and a decrease of starch at all developmental stages investigated. The PPase activity in PPaII tubers was parallel with a decrease of PPa, an increase of fructose-2,6-bisphosphate and an increase of UDP-glucose. As expected the amount of hexose-6-phosphates and glycolytic intermediates decreased. As a consequence PPaII tubers did not sprout even after a prolonged storage period of two years. Since the energy status of PPaII tubers is unaltered inhibition of sprouting is most likely due to reduced sucrose export and its subsequent utilization.     

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.     

Sampling potato tubers to determine peel loss

A simple marker was fabricated for the purpose of rapidly labeling tubers that are to be used for determining the amount of peel loss. The effect of tuber size and shape on quantity of peel removed, and its significance to continuous in-plant monitoring of peel loss, is discussed. A standardized peel removal testing procedure for plant use is described.     

Some aspects of total losses during storage and reconditioning of potato tubers

Summary Total losses during storage and reconditioning of several Polish varieties and strains in comparison with the American varietyKennebec are discussed. Several varieties or strains show such high losses that they are not acceptable for processing after storage. Susceptibility to loss is an attribute which must be taken into account when assessing varieties.     

The effect of oxygen concentration on the sugar content of potato tubers stored at low temperature

Summary Mature potato tubers of the varietyMajestic were stored, at 1°C, in concentrations of oxygen from 0 to 100% for a period of one month. The contents of sucrose and reducing sugar and the CO₂ production of the tubers were measured. Concentrations of oxygen of 3% and below delayed the accumulation of sugars in the tubers compared with that in air. In N₂ the accumulation was prevented, while the CO₂ production continued at a low rate. At oxygen concentrations above 3% the sucrose level rose to a maximum after three weeks and then slowly fell, while the reducing sugar content increased throughout. Under these conditions carbon dioxide production increased rapidly to a peak at about 7 days and then slowly fell to near the initial level.