Potato physiological disorders
What is potato physiological disorder?
Potato physiological disorders are non-biological abnormality of potato tubers. In this post we will know about the cause, symptom, and control of 9 physiological disorders of potato.
List of physiological disorders of potato
| (1). Black heart of potato |
| (2). Greening of potato tuber |
| (3). Sweeting of potato tubers |
| (4). Sweeting |
| (5). Cold injury |
| (6). Internal brown spot |
| (7). Black spot |
| (8). Sprouting in storage |
| (9). Uneven sprouting in field |
Also read: GM Potato Varieties (Cultivars)
(1). Black heart of potato
1.1 What is black heart of potato?
Black heart of potato is a physiological disorder of potato. The central tissues of a potato become discoloured.
1.2 Causes
- High soil temperature.
- Insufficient availability of oxygen.
- Lack of ventilation during transportation.
1.3 Symptoms
- It is common in mature tubers.
- Symptom is greater in bigger tubes.
- Discoloration of the central tissues.
- Hollow heart is the characteristics symptom.
1.4 Management
- Balanced use of fertilizers.
- Stop over irrigation.
- Avoid wider spacing.
- Maintain the soil temperature through irrigation.
- Proper ventilation in storage.
- Store the tubers at 2-4 °C.
(2). Greening of potato tuber
Also read: Cause of Greening in Potato Tubers
2.1 What is greening of potato tuber?
Greening is a problem of filed tubers. It is less or no problem in stored tubers. The green potato tubers contains glycoalkaloids like solanine and chaconine.
2.2 Cause: Direct sunlight to potato tubers.
Symptom: The skin and the upper tissues of the potato tubers turn green due to the direct contact with sunlight.
2.3 Management:
- Avoid direct sunlight in storage.
- Do earthing up.
Important: Solanine is harmful to human health.
(3). Sweeting of potato tubers
3.1 What is sweeting?
Sweeting is a condition in which excessive accumulation of reducing sugars and sucrose occur.
3.2 Cause: Low temperature in cold storage.
3.3 Symptom: The taste of the tuber is sweet.
3.4 Control: Maintain a storage temperature of 21°C for producing chip.
(4). Mahogany browning
4.1 What is mahogany browning?
Mahogany browning is a symptom of chilling injury in potato.
4.2 Cause
- Low temperature, such as the temperature below than 3 °C.
- Improper ventilation.
- Susceptible varieties.
4.3 Symptoms
- Undesirable sweet tubers.
- Internal discoloration of potato.
- Mahogany browning.
(5). Cold injury
5.1 What is cold injury?
Cold injury is also a symptom of chilling injury in potato tubers.
5.2 Cause:
- Low temperature.
- Temperature below 3 °C
5.3 Control: Maintain the temperature of storage.
(6). Internal brown spot
6.1 What is internal brown spot?
It is an abnormality of potato tubers in which small brown spots cause unacceptance of the tubers.
6.2 Cause: Water stress conditions.
6.3 Symptom: Appearance of the irregular dry brown spots in internal tissues.
6.4 Control
- Regular irrigation.
- Use lime to correct acidic soils.
(7). Black spot
7.1 Cause
- Low potassium in potato tubers.
- Mechanical injury is a major cause.
- High phenolic compounds in potato tuber.
7.2 Symptom: Major symptom is the occurance of grayish spot in potato flesh.
7.3 Control
- Use potash fertilizer.
- Mitigate the excessive use of N.
- Avoid mechanical injuries.
(8). Sprouting in storage
Tubers are unfit for consumption.
8.1 Cause: Storage temperature is near 15 °C.
8.2 Symptom
Weight of the tubers is light.
8.3 Control
- Grow that variety which has longer dormancy period.
- Maintain the storage temperature up to 2 – 4 °C.
- Relative humidity should be 90 – 95%.
- Use Isopropyl N chlorophenyl.
(9). Uneven sprouting in field
9.1 Cause
- Sowing of dormant seed.
- Excessive soil moisture.
- Early planting.
- Sowing of cut tubers at high temperature.
- Avoid over flooding of ridges.
Images: Uneven spouting in potato.
9.2 Control
- Sow the tubers after the banking of dormancy.
- Cut pieces should have at least 2 – 3 tubers.
- Sow it during low temperature.
Potato physiological disorders and diseases.