of adequate air, can also result in
blackspot and other potato damage.
STOP DISEASE
ORGANISM GROWTH
Most common potato
disease organisms increase
their population growth at
temperatures ranging from
40 to 80 degrees. Lower
temperatures lower the
possibility of disease incidence
during storage. Since many of
the common potato storage diseases
naturally occur in the soil, they are
transported into storage with the
tubers. It is essential, therefore, to not
only heal the exposed wound areas to
minimize pathogen penetration, but
also to lower the temperature as soon
as possible after storing to minimize
disease spread within infected tubers
as well as from infected to sound
tubers.
This fact emphasizes the
importance of careful harvesting and
handling techniques to minimize
bruising, skinning and cutting. If
diseases or field frost damage are
evident in tubers, rapid lowering
of temperatures, even without the
healing and curing period, may be
necessary to prevent breakdown.
However, do not store these damaged
potatoes for long periods of time.
AVOID RESPIRATION AND
SPROUTING
The potato tuber
reacts like any
living organism;
respiration increases
with increasing
temperatures.
When respiration
increases, so does
tuber weight
loss. Since lower
temperatures also maintain dormancy,
temperatures need to be as low as
possible without otherwise decreasing
quality (e.g., sugar buildup in
processing potatoes). For long storage
periods of three to five months,
depending on the variety, a sprout
inhibitor is practical for potatoes not
meant to be used for seed.
1963-32NationalPotatoCouncil12h.indd 1 10/1/18 8:52 AM
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