Location: Sugarbeet and Potato Research
2019 Annual Report
Objectives
To cooperate with potato breeders, producers, and processors to improve post harvest potato quality by reducing storage and processing losses. A major portion of this effort involves the evaluation of storage and processing characteristics of promising new varieties and advanced germplasm developed and submitted by U.S. potato breeding programs. Identify new genotypes with the ability to process directly from a storage temperature of less than 7 degree C. Identify optimum storage conditions for new cold-sweetening resistant germplasm. Identify new germplasm exhibiting enhanced vitamin C content.
The specific objectives are:
Objective 1: Determine the effects of postharvest storage on process quality and nutritional composition of advanced breeding lines in collaboration with public potato breeding programs. Sub-objective 1.1: Determine storage and processing characteristics of advanced breeding lines. Sub-objective 1.2: Screen advanced potato breeding lines for cold storage potential.
Objective 2: Determine the total antioxidant and ascorbic acid (vitamin C) contents of advanced breeding clones at harvest and during temperature-controlled storage.
Approach
This research project is a service project that provides standardized storage, processing and analysis of advanced breeding clones submitted by public potato breeding programs. All protocols, storage conditions, and analytical methods used have been standardized in accordance with current industry practices and are therefore invariant. Specific approaches include: 1) storage, processing and evaluation of new breeding lines, 2) determine cold storage potential of selected clones and cultivars, and 3) determine total antioxidant and vitamin C contents of advanced breeding clones at harvest and during storage.
Progress Report
This is the final report for project 3060-43440-013-00D, which was merged with project 3060-21430-007-00D. Progress was made in both objectives and their sub-objectives. Variations in potato process product quality for chips and fries due to disease and sugar accumulation result in major storage losses costing producers and processors hundreds of millions of dollars annually. In continuation of our program to evaluate the storage and processing characteristics of promising new potato clones, cooperative research is maintained among public university potato breeding programs from 11 states (North Dakota, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan, Idaho, Oregon, Maine, North Carolina, New York, Texas and Colorado) and two USDA-ARS programs (Objective 1). Processing quality was also assessed throughout storage of National Chip and Fry field and processing trials sponsored by Potatoes USA (Objective 1.1). In the past year, processing quality evaluations were performed on elite potato lines following storage under defined conditions and potato clones possessing improved processing quality and cold storage potential were identified (Objective 1.2). Forty-two advanced chipping clones and 49 french fry clones were evaluated throughout 7 months of storage. This direct selection process will speed the introduction of new potato cultivars with superior processing characteristics in storage.
Accomplishments
1. Potato post-harvest quality evaluations and release of new potato cultivars. Acceptable processing quality after storage is an essential attribute of a successful potato variety. The standardized evaluation procedures developed and used by ARS scientists in East Grand Forks, Minnesota have been an important component of the overall process evaluation and release of new cultivars by federal and state cooperators nationwide. In the past year, in support of federal and non-federal public breeding/screening programs, 91 advanced breeding lines were analyzed for storage/processing quality at multiple storage temperatures and durations. Data from these analyses will contribute to the release of new potato varieties. These improved varieties offer significant benefits to both producers and processors and should be widely adopted by the potato industry.
2. Potato cultivars with reduced acrylamide concentration identified. Acrylamide is an unwanted and potentially toxic by-product produced when carbohydrate-rich foods are processed at high temperatures. In participation with the National Fry Processing Trial, and in cooperation with publicly funded plant breeders and the potato industry, the postharvest storage and processing qualities of 45 advanced clones grown in Washington, Oregon, Idaho, North Dakota, Wisconsin, and Maine have been evaluated for processing quality and acrylamide concentrations. Several clones exhibiting excellent processing characteristics and very low acrylamide levels have been identified. These clones will be evaluated in more detailed trials. Eventual adoption of these clones and consequent reduction in the acrylamide concentration of potato products will benefit both producers and consumers.
