Control of potato blackleg by tuber pasteurisation: the determination of time-temperature combinations for the inactivation of pectolytic erwinia

Summary Pasteurisation of potato tubers by immersion in hot water is being examined as a method of blackleg control. Studies on the in vitro heat resistance of representative pectolytic erwinia have enabled prediction curves for the selection of suitable times and temperatures of pasteurisation to be prepared. High levels of contamination on some tubers may require heat treatment that will reduce the erwinia population by more than 80% to ensure that only innocuous levels remain.