Location: Small Grain and Food Crops Quality Research
Project Number: 3060-21430-009-015-S
Project Type: Non-Assistance Cooperative Agreement
Start Date: Aug 1, 2022
End Date: Jul 31, 2026
Objective:
Main objective of this research is to investigate how differing climatic factors impact the growth and development of the whole potato plant throughout the growth season using non-destructive methods to monitor above- and below-ground plant responses under different conditions to determine the key factors associated with climate adaptability.
Approach:
Advanced technological systems and tools will be implemented to monitor above- and below-ground plant responses under different conditions to determine the key factors associated with climate adaptability. Prototype environmental measurement and non-destructive imaging systems will be integrated to determine the effects of stress induction (temperature and moisture fluctuations) in a controlled environment compared to standard commercial potato production. The environmental measurements system will continuously record micro-climate conditions of the above- and below-ground of the plants from planting to harvest. Likewise, the non-destructive imaging system will document root, stolon, and tuber growth and development of the same plants throughout the potato production season. Following vine senescence, the plots will be harvested to determine the impact of differing micro-climatic conditions on the productivity and quality of potato crop. A set of tubers will be used to determine yield, grade, internal and external defects, and specific gravity. Another subset of tubers will be placed in storage to determine postharvest storage and quality characteristics. The data-sets will be analyzed to reveal the correlation of micro-climatic conditions on the growth, productivity, postharvest physiology, and quality attributes of potato cultivars.
