Preserving potato tuber quality during storage

Abstract

Potato tubers are mostly consumed fresh; therefore, it is required to store tubers for long periods after harvest. Premature sprouting and rotting during storage are the leading causes of wastage. Sprouting causes loss of quality due to mobilization of starch and proteins, and shrinkage caused by water loss. The control of tuber sprouting is an important objective in potato breeding. Sprouting can be inhibited by the application of chemical sprout suppressants and by controlling storage environmental conditions. New strategies for preserving tuber quality during storage are required, since the application of sprout inhibitors is expensive and often problematic. Several potato varieties with delayed sprouting or high tuber quality have been developed targeting different genes related to sucrose transport and metabolism and hormone metabolic genes. This chapter is focused on the physiological mechanisms that control potato dormancy and sprouting, and the different strategies available to preserve tuber quality during storage.