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ARS Home » Plains Area » Fargo, North Dakota » Edward T. Schafer Agricultural Research Center » Sugarbeet and Potato Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #147666
Title: CONTROL RESEARCH: RECENT PROGRESS IN DORMANCY/SPROUT

Author
item Suttle, Jeffrey

Submitted to: Valley Potato Grower Magazine
Publication Type: Trade Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 3/31/2003
Publication Date: 3/1/2003
Citation: SUTTLE, J.C. CONTROL RESEARCH: RECENT PROGRESS IN DORMANCY/SPROUT. VALLEY POTATO GROWER MAGAZINE. 2003. V. 68(138) P. 22-24.

Interpretive Summary: For an indeterminate period of time following harvest, potatoes will not sprout and are physiologically dormant. Dormancy is gradually lost during postharvest storage and the resultant sprouting is detrimental to the nutritional and processing qualities of potatoes. Because of this, sprouting results in severe financial loss to producers. Currently sprouting is controlled through the use of synthetic sprout inhibitors. The research being conducted in this lab is directed towards 1) identifying key physiological processes that naturally regulate tuber dormancy and, ultimately 2) modifying these processes genetically or chemically with naturally occurring sprout inhibitors thereby eliminating the need for artificial sprout suppression. Much of our current research concerns the roles of plant hormones in tuber dormancy regulation. In this report, recent research progress from this laboratory in the hormonal control of tuber dormancy is presented in layman's terms for the benefit of commodity stakeholders and the potato industry.

Technical Abstract: Plant hormones play an essential role in the regulation of potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) tuber dormancy. However, the internal processes that control tuber hormone levels and activities are poorly understood and this ignorance precludes the systematic development of improved methods to control postharvest sprouting in stored potatoes. The research conducted by this project is directed toward the identification of the endogenous hormones that regulate tuber dormancy and the determination of the cognate processes that control hormone levels and biological activities. In his brief report, recent research progress by this project in the area of tuber dormancy regulation is presented in layman's terms for the benefit of commodity stakeholders and the potato industry as a whole.