Skip to main content
ARS Home » Midwest Area » Madison, Wisconsin » Vegetable Crops Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #349811
Title: Skin quality in red potatoes

Author
item Bethke, Paul
item Busse, James

Submitted to: Meeting Proceedings
Publication Type: Proceedings
Publication Acceptance Date: 1/20/2018
Publication Date: 2/6/2018
Citation: Bethke, P.C., Busse, J.S. 2018. Skin quality in red potatoes. In: Proceedings of Wisconsin’s Annual Potato Meeting, February 6-8, 2018, Steven's Point, WI. 31:105-106.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Attractive appearance is a highly desirable characteristic of fresh market red-skinned potatoes. The ideal red potato has a rich, uniform, deep red color. Color fading, netting, browning, and discoloration caused by skinning and disease decrease marketability and may reduce profits to growers and packing houses. Despite the importance of skin color to marketability, there has been relatively little research on how to intensify or maintain the skin color of red potatoes. For many red potato varieties, skin color fades as they grow and with time in storage. Growers of red potatoes have few tools available to manage the appearance of the red potato crop. One tool is treatment of vines with 2,4-D. This treatment has been shown to intensify the skin color of some red potatoes. Soil type and growing season have large effects on skin color, but the mechanisms underlying these differences are unknown. Little research has been done to compare the effect of soil composition on skin color.