Skip to main content
ARS Home » Midwest Area » Madison, Wisconsin » Vegetable Crops Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #401234

Research Project: Maximizing the Impact of Potato Genebank Resources: Development and Evaluation of a Wild Species Genotype Diversity Panel

Location: Vegetable Crops Research

Title: Susceptibility of potato lenticels to infection by pathogens

Author
item Bethke, Paul

Submitted to: Symposium Proceedings
Publication Type: Proceedings
Publication Acceptance Date: 1/12/2023
Publication Date: 2/7/2020
Citation: Bethke, P.C. 2020. Susceptibility of potato lenticels to infection by pathogens. Symposium Proceedings. (2023) 26. https://doi.org/wpvga.conferencespot.org/event-data/pdf/a005/fl364.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Lenticels are multicellular structures that allow for exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide gas into and out of potato tubers. The lenticel pore is a potential infection site for bacterial and fungal pathogens. Young tubers seem particularly susceptible to pathogen infection. Disease susceptibility increases with tuber temperature and when wet soil or storage conditions cause lenticel enlargement. Potato growers and shippers can minimize the deleterious effects of lenticel infection by keeping potatoes cools and avoiding the presence of free water on the surface of the potatoes in the field, in the storage shed, and during shipping.