Relationship of Chipping Quality of Potatoes to Maturity and Storage Temperature

Abstract

Acceptable chip quality based on chip color was obtained in five potato cultivars freshly harvested in August, September and October. Placing the tubers in 5 °C storage severely impaired chip quality. Reconditioning the tubers at 21 °C for 2 weeks improved chip quality in the cultivar Kennebec harvested in October and in two experimental cultivars, F5208 and F5889 harvested in September and October. Tubers of the cultivars Warba and Irish Cobbler from all harvests failed to become reconditioned satisfactorily. Preconditioning tubers at 21 °C before storing them at 5 °C and then reconditioning at 21 °C improved chip color in all cultivars. The color improved to an acceptable level in tubers of Kennebec harvested in October and of the experimental cultivars harvested in September and October. In these also, preconditioning produced good chip color when tubers were chipped directly from 5 °C storage. Tubers from all harvests of the experimental cultivar F5889, including those harvested when immature in August, chipped well from storage at 5 °C after 5 weeks of preconditioning at 21 °C.

Introgression of Wild Species Germplasm with Extreme Resistance to Cold Sweetening into the Cultivated Potato

“…Reducing sugar content decreases with successively later harvest dates when clones are planted at the same time. Immature tubers have a high sugar content and deteriorate in quality faster than mature tubers (Herman et al, 1995; Nelson and Sowokinos, 1983; Walkof and Chubey, 1969).…”

“…As tubers become more mature with later harvest dates, reducing sugar levels decrease (Hope et al, 1960). In addition, immature tubers deteriorate in quality faster than mature tubers during cold storage (Walkof and Chubey, 1969). During the preconditioning period immediately after harvest, immature potatoes require more time to optimize sugar levels before being placed into cold storage (Herman et al, 1995).…”

Screening the New Zealand potato germplasm collection for resistance to sugar accumulation during low temperature storage

“…Although growing conditions, maturity, and time of harvest influence sugar accumulation during subsequent storage (Walkof et al 1968;Coffin et al 1987;Hertog et al 1997), this research indicates that genetic influence has a major effect. In all 3 years the same lines were consistently the best.…”