Susceptibility of potatoes to bacterial rot and weight loss as a function of wound-healing interval and temperature

A study was conducted to determine the feasibility and advantages of wound-healing potatoes at lower than recommended temperatures. The progress of wound-healing at 6, 9, and 16°C, of tissue taken from Russet Burbank potato tubers, was evaluated by inducing weight loss with high temperature or decay organisms following various curing intervals. Increasing the wound-healing temperature resulted in a greater resistance to weight loss and a decreased susceptibility to infection byErwinia carotovora subsp.carotovora. Resistance to weight loss increased as wound-healing temperature increased following 6 and 16 day intervals. However, weight loss induced after 21 days of healing appeared to level off at 9°C indicating maximum development of a wound barrier. Loss due to rot, after inoculation of fresh cores withE. carotovora, was directly proportional to incubation time and temperature. When wound-healing progress was measured by loss of fresh weight induced by elevated temperatures or rot, the advantages of woundhealing at 16°C compared with 9°C decreased significantly after 21 days of curing. Wound-healing at approximately 9°C for 25 days was found to be the best compromise temperature for keeping rot progress and weight loss at a minimum while allowing the process of healing and maturation to occur.