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ARS Home » Pacific West Area » Wapato, Washington » Temperate Tree Fruit and Vegetable Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #298276
Title: Stability and broad-sense heritaibility of mineral content in potato: copper and sulfur

Author
item Brown, Charles
item Haynes, Kathleen
item MOORE, MOORE - Agri Northwest
item PAVEK, MARK - Washington State University
item HANE, DAN - Oregon State University
item LOVE, STEPHEN - University Of Idaho
item Novy, Richard - Rich
item MILLER JR., CEIGHTON - Texas A&M University

Submitted to: American Journal of Potato Research
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 8/14/2014
Publication Date: 12/1/2014
Publication URL: http://handle.nal.usda.gov/10113/61886
Citation: Brown, C.R., Haynes, K.G., Moore, M., Pavek, M., Hane, D., Love, S., Novy, R.G., Miller Jr., C. 2014. Stability and broad-sense heritaibility of mineral content in potato: copper and sulfur. American Journal of Potato Research. 91:618-624.

Interpretive Summary: The potato provides a rich packet of nutrients for the human diet. Besides providing vitamin C and plenty of potassium, the potato is a good source of sulfur and copper. Both of these elements are important in certain catalytic functions involving energy transfer. In Peru 12 % of poor children under five years of age die to diarrheal disease and complications. Copper is essential for certain antioxidants to function properly. Children recovering from severe malnutrition are unable to absorb copper from cow's milk, but can obtain copper from potato. Potato is an important supplier of copper for the US population. There is no Recommended Daily Allowance for Sulfur. Rarely is it deficient. In potato half of the sulfur is contained in the two sulfur containing amino acids, Methionone and cysteine. This study shows that it would be possible to increase both copper and sulfur by selection. This might not be advisable. Copper toxicity can occur. Also there appears be some relationship of copper accumulation with Alzheimer's disease

Technical Abstract: Potato breeding lines and varieties in two separate trials were evaluated for copper and sulfur content by wet ashing and Inductively Coupled Argon Plasma Emission Spectrophotometer analysis. Stability and broad-sense heritability were determined. Copper contents ranged among genotypes between 2.0 and 4.5 ug-g-1 DW. This was a 2.25 fold difference. Over the three trial groups environment was not significant, while genotype by environment was always significant. Genotype was significant in the Western Regional Russet and Western Regional Red/Specialty trials. The broad –sense heritabilities were zero, 0.93 and 0.51 for the Tri-State, Western Regional Russet and Western Regional Red/Specialty trials, respectively. Sulfur contents ranged between 991 to 1488 ug-g-1 DW. The highest value was 50% higher than the lowest. In the three trials environments was not significant, while genotype x environment interaction was significant. Genotype was significant in the Western Regional Russet and Western Regional Red/Specialty trials. Broad-sense heritabilities were 0.53, 0.68 and 0.88, for Tri-State, Western Regional Russet, and Western Regional Red/Specialty trials, respectively. For both sulfur and copper, selection in the Western Regional Russet and Western Regional Red/Specialty trials is likely to lead to an increase in content. Selection for sulfur in the Tri-State would result in a gain as well. Sulfur does not have a Recommended Daily Allowances established nor is it perceived as commonly imiting to nutritional health. However, increases in content could be achieved if a benefit were found in future nutritional studies. Copper nutritional needs have been estimated by depletion/repletion studies. For infants, potatoes could be a significant source of copper supplying 40% of daily needs of children 7 to 12 months old up to 2 years old in a 100 gram FW sample.