Skip to main content
ARS Home » Midwest Area » Madison, Wisconsin » Vegetable Crops Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #275986
Title: The effect of long term storage on bacterial soft rot resistance in potato

Author
item CHUNG, YONG - University Of Wisconsin
item GOESER, NICHOLAS - University Of Wisconsin
item CAI, XINGKUI - University Of Wisconsin
item Jansky, Shelley

Submitted to: American Journal of Potato Research
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 2/23/2013
Publication Date: 4/15/2013
Citation: Chung, Y.S., Goeser, N., Cai, X., Jansky, S.H. 2013. The effect of long term storage on bacterial soft rot resistance in potato. American Journal of Potato Research. 90:351-356.

Interpretive Summary: Soft rot is a serious disease of potatoes. It can cause significant yield losses, especially during storage. This study was carried out to determine whether resistance to soft rot changes during storage. Resistant clones based on freshly-harvested tubers tended to retain their resistance after a six month storage period. Susceptible clones tended to be more variable in their response to storage.

Technical Abstract: Bacterial soft rot is a serious disease in potato (Solanum tuberosum L.), causing rapid tuber tissue maceration and, consequently, marketable yield loss. Soft rot bacteria, especially Pectobacterium carotovorum subsp. carotovorum (Pbc), are favored by moist conditions, which are prevalent in large potato storage facilities. However, although most potatoes in North America are stored before use, there are no published surveys of soft rot resistance in cultivars exposed to long-term storage conditions. Thus, we tested sixty-five cultivars and thirteen breeding lines for soft rot resistance after six months of storage. There was a significant effect of cultivar and production environment on resistance score. The three most resistant cultivars to soft rot were Freedom Russet, Anett, and Alaska Red Eye.