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ARS Home » Midwest Area » Madison, Wisconsin » Vegetable Crops Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #351704
Research Project: Maximizing the Impact of Potato Genebank Resources: Development and Evaluation of a Wild Species Genotype Diversity Panel

Location: Vegetable Crops Research

Title: Impact of 2,4-D on in-season and stored Red Norland skin color

Author
item Busse, James
item Bethke, Paul

Submitted to: Meeting Abstract
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 3/19/2018
Publication Date: 7/22/2018
Citation: Busse, J.S., Bethke, P.C. 2018. Impact of 2,4-D on in-season and stored Red Norland skin color. Meeting Abstract. 96:321-322. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12230-019-09723-w.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12230-019-09723-w

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-colored skin. 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. Red potatoes derive their skin color from a class of pigments referred to as anthocyanins. Growers of red potatoes have few tools available to manage the appearance of the crop. One tool is in season vine treatment with 2,4-D. We applied 2,4-D at early bloom stage and harvested Red Norland potatoes weekly in 2016 and 2017. Treatment with 2,4-D intensified red color with an increase in anthocyanin quantity as well as a change in the ratio of peonidin-derived anthocyanins to pelargonidin-derived anthocyanins. A greater impact on skin color was noted in 2016 than in 2017. The effect of 2,4-D treatment persisted in storage. Microscopic examination of fresh sections did not reveal differences in the number of red periderm cells or the total depth of red cells between control and treatment. These data suggest that changes in periderm development do not contribute to the 2,4-D response of Red Norland. Additional research focused on pinpointing the biochemical targets of 2,4-D action may facilitate development of alternative strategies that target the same biochemical change and achieve a similar or greater effect on skin color.