Project Number: 5354-21220-010-44
Project Type: Specific Cooperative Agreement

Start Date: Jun 29, 2011
End Date: May 31, 2016

Objective:
This collaboration will assess phytonutrient levels in diverse potato germplasm and characterize mechanisms and factors that control phytonutrient content or processing quality.

Approach:
Potato can be made even more nutritious by developing varieties that have higher levels of antioxidants such as phenolics, vitamin C, anthocyanins and carotenoids. A better understanding of the mechanisms that influence the amounts of phytonutrients in tubers, including both in planta and external environmental influences including post-harvest factors or crop management will facilitate development of high-phytonutrient potatoes. A combination of physiological, biochemical and molecular techniques, including metabolic profiling, gene expression, metabolic engineering and enzyme analysis will be used to address these factors.