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ARS Home » Midwest Area » Madison, Wisconsin » Vegetable Crops Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #290715
Title: Stem-end chip defect update

Author
item Bethke, Paul
item WANG, YI - University Of Wisconsin
item BUSSAN, ALVIN - University Of Wisconsin

Submitted to: Proceedings Wisconsin Annual Potato Meetings
Publication Type: Proceedings
Publication Acceptance Date: 1/24/2013
Publication Date: 2/5/2013
Citation: Bethke, P.C., Wang, Y., Bussan, A.J. 2013. Stem-end chip defect update [abstract]. Proceedings Wisconsin Annual Potato Meetings. p. 37.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Stem-end chip defect is characterized by dark fried color along the vasculature and adjacent tissues at a position in the chip that corresponds to the tuber stem end. Stem-end chip defect occurs erratically over years and locations. In some years and in some regions, it can be a pervasive and costly tuber quality defect, while in other years or locations it may be uncommon. To learn more about how variety, location, growing season, and post-harvest storage affect the development and severity of stem-end chip defect, a multi-year study was conducted in cooperation with Heartland Farms, Walther Farms, and CSS Farms at Hancock, WI, Three Rivers, MI, and Dalhart, TX in 2009, 2010 and 2011. Objectives of the trial were to identify chipping potato varieties tolerant to growing conditions that lead to the development of stem-end chip defect (SECD); evaluate SECD incidence and severity across multiple locations and years; investigate the progression of SECD throughout the growing season and post harvest storage; assess the feasibility of using extended preconditioning to minimize the defect during storage; and determine if there is a correlation between tuber stem-end sucrose or glucose contents prior to harvest and SECD incidence and severity post harvest. Major include the following. 1.Stem-end chip defect varied across regions and years. 2. Stem-end defect severity and incidence were closely related. 3. Stem-end chip defect rarely occurred before final harvest. 4. At final harvest, SECD was a serious quality concern for some varieties, at some locations, in some years. 5. SECD severity at harvest determined whether or not defect percentage could be successfully reduced during preconditioning in storage. 6. Stem-end sucrose or glucose contents might not be early indicators of stem-end chip defect development at harvest and during storage.