Location: Potato, Pulse and Small Grains Quality Research
Project Number: 3060-21430-009-022-R
Project Type: Reimbursable Cooperative Agreement
Start Date: Oct 1, 2024
End Date: Sep 30, 2026
Objective:
Objective 1 Optimizing nitric oxide-based treatment strategy to improve wound healing responses in whole potato tubers during storage and cut seed tuber pieces before planting in the field.
Objective 2 Investigating the impact of nitric oxide based treatment on postharvest storage qualities such as dormancy and sprouting of whole tubers.
Objective 3 Investigating effects of nitric oxide based treatment of cut seed tuber pieces on crop performance and tuber yield.
Approach:
In the proposed research we would like to i) examine the specific dose dependent response of NO treatment on dormancy and premature sprouting of potato tubers at the long-term storage, and ii) determine the impact of pre-planting NO treatment of potato cut seed tuber pieces on sprout emergence, growth, and yield parameters of commercially relevant potato market classes. These proposed research objectives will help to determine the practical potential of NO application to address physiological challenges of postharvest storage as well as its efficacy as cut seed treatment to counter seed decay and mitigate economic losses. After controlled experiments, we will leverage our current collaborations with the potato growers and industry partners to set up pilot storage and field experiments and evaluate the practical utility of NO treatment for enhancing wound-healing responses of potato tubers.