Potato Research

The European Association for Potato Research (EAPR) publishes a journal, Potato Research, which includes original scientific contributions on both fundamental and applied research on potatoes, review articles and topics of general interest. It also contains Association news and reports on section meetings (including abstracts of papers presented).
A volume of the Journal (usually approximately 450 pages), consists of four issues, published in the same year. Submission of manuscripts is exclusively online via a web-based electronic submission and tracking system available at https://www.editorialmanager.com/potr

EAPR Members have online access to Potato Research (use the EAPR member login page)
A list of addresses of editors of ‘Potato Research’
Contents of ‘Potato Research’ can be found at Springerlink
Instructions for authors
Any comments regarding the publication and distribution of Potato Research should be addressed to EAPR

Springer Link

https://link.springer.com/journal/11540

Latest Issues

Effects of Age of In Vitro-Derived Potato Plantlets on Early Above- and Below-Ground Development After Planting in Different Cultivars
29th March, 2023
Abstract

In vitro-propagated potato plantlets are commonly used in potato seed tuber production. Four experiments were carried out to identify how the duration of the last in vitro phase (‘age’) before planting of in vitro-produced plantlets affects the early growth and development ex vitro, assessed 10–14 days after planting. Experiments included varying ranges in age of the in vitro plantlets at planting (10–40, 15–45, 14–28 and 14–56 days old at the moment of planting in the respective experiments) and different cultivars. Because in vitro plantlet size increases with age, the first experiment studied interactions between age and planting method. Planting ‘deep’ (the upper four visible leaves above the ground) seemed more robust than planting ‘shallow’ (all nodes/leaves above ground except the lowest two), and in later experiments, only deep planting was applied. Across experiments, plants grown from younger in vitro plantlets had smaller leaf areas 10–14 days after planting than those from older in vitro plantlets. The increase in leaf area levelled off with increasing age of the in vitro plantlets used, especially when plantlets were older than c. 28 days. Larger leaf areas 10–14 days after planting were related to the older in vitro plantlets having higher absolute growth rates after planting and a larger above-ground leaf area at planting, even though four leaves were kept above ground in all treatments. Below ground, plants from older in vitro plantlets had more stem nodes, initiated stolons earlier after planting and initiated more stolons per plant. Tuber initiation rarely occurred within 14 days after planting, but was observed in some plants from 42- and especially 56-day-old in vitro plantlets of the very early cultivar Gloria and a single plant from 56-day-old in vitro plantlets of the mid-early cultivar Bintje. The data show that planting older in vitro plantlets can enhance early leaf area growth. Plants from older in vitro plantlets also more readily initiate stolons below ground and may be more advanced in the tuber formation process, especially when from early cultivars.
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Evaluation of the Reaction of Various Potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) Cultivars to the Meloidogyne incognita and Ralstonia solanacearum Disease Complex under Field Conditions
20th March, 2023
Abstract

The performance of various potato cultivars in response to disease pressures from Meloidogyne incognita (MI) and Ralstonia solanacearum (RS) is believed to be different. The experiment was laid out in a randomised complete block design (RCBD) with three replications. A total of 13 potato cultivars during the main cropping season were assessed. The mean squares values from the analyses of variance for MI, RS, and plant parameters of potato cultivars at the two hot spot sites, ‘Kersa’ and ‘Arbarakate’ for the two pathogens showed highly significant (P < 0.01) differences among cultivars in terms of response to pathogens and plant parameters. At ‘Kersa’, all of the tested potato cultivars were classed as ‘moderately resistant’. However, ‘Gudenie’ and ‘Belete’ were classed as ‘resistant’ to RS. At ‘Arbarakate’, ‘Belete’, and ‘Bubu’ were classed as ‘resistant’ to MI, while ‘Gudenie’, ‘Belete’, and ‘Bubu’ were classed as ‘resistant’ to RS. At ‘Kersa’, ‘Gudenie’ recorded the highest mean values (25.5 t ha−1) of marketable tuber yield (MY) and total yield (TY) (39.2 t ha−1). At ‘Arbarakate’, the highest mean value (49.6 t ha−1) of TY was registered from the cultivar ‘Bubu’. TY had a negative phenotypic correlation with the pathogen’s parameters but a positive with plant parameters. ‘Gera’ was the most distant from all tested cultivars with Euclidean distance = 30.8. These assessments provide information for breeders for further improvement through selection.
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Economic Impact of Potato Virus Y (PVY) in Europe
18th March, 2023
Abstract

As the fourth most prevalent food crop, potato is very important in the global economy, but it is affected by numerous pests, and by many bacterial, viral and fungal diseases. Among these diseases, potato virus Y (PVY), which is transmitted from plant to plant by aphids, causes significant yield losses, but as far as we know, the economic impact of PVY in Europe has not been quantified. Our economic study covers a period of 13 years between 2004 and 2017 and is based on an analysis of statistical, economic and agronomic data, obtained from various stakeholders in the potato sector in Switzerland and the European Union, as well as from field experiments. In Switzerland, the economic loss due to PVY for seed and ware production was estimated at about 2000 and 200 CHF/ha, respectively. For the European Union, the annual losses were estimated at 187 M EUR, respectively 96 and 91 M EUR for seed and ware. These losses were due mainly to the cost of chemical treatments applied in seed potato production and the yield drop in ware potato production. However, based on literature, these significant losses are lower than those caused by potato late blight (Phytophthora infestans), which is considered to be the most economically damaging potato disease in Europe.
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Lupin and Lima Beans Diminish Potatoes’ N and P Uptake, Uptake Efficiency and Use Efficiency
14th March, 2023
Abstract

Declining soil fertility and climate change have led to a reduction in potato yield and thus negatively affected the livelihood of communities that rely on the crop. A study was conducted in Nyandarua County, Kenya, for two seasons to evaluate the potential of potato-legume intercropping in enhancing N and P uptake and use efficiencies and on potato fresh tuber and equivalent yield (PEY). Potato equivalent yield compares system performance by converting the yield of legume crops into equivalent potato yield based on prevailing market prices. Treatments comprised two potato-legume intercrops: lima bean (Phaseolus lunatus L.) and lupin (Lupinus albus L.), and two inorganic fertilizers: Di-ammonium phosphate (18:46:0), composite NPK (17:17:17), and a no input control. Treatment combinations were as follows: (i) sole potato, (ii) potato-lima beans and (iii) potato-lupin intercrops. Fertilizers were applied to each of the three cropping systems separately. Higher N uptake was found in sole potato (73.5 kg ha−1), which was more than double that recorded in potato-lupin (35.9 kg ha−1) and 60% more than that recorded in potato-lima beans intercrop (46.8 kg ha−1). On the other hand, N use efficiency was higher in potato-lupin (240.6 kg PEY kg−1 N supply) and sole potato (238.6 kg PEY kg−1 N supply) and lowest in potato-lima beans (139.0 kg PEY kg−1 N supply). Intercropping resulted in a decrease in fresh tuber yield by more than 70% while the equivalent yield decreased by almost 15 Mg ha−1. The application of fertilizer did not enhance the recovery of the yield loss. The study establishes that the choice of companion legumes in intercropping can significantly influence nutrient uptake and use efficiency, and thus the yield of the potato crop.
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Physical Pretreatments to Enhance Purple-Fleshed Potatoes Drying: Effects of Blanching, Ohmic Heating and Ultrasound Pretreatments on Quality Attributes
2nd March, 2023
Abstract

In this study, it was aimed to investigate alternative pretreatment solutions including blanching, ultrasound and ohmic heating to limit the adverse effects of drying conditions on the functional properties of purple-fleshed potato (PFP). In order to investigate how functional properties were saved with pretreatments carried before drying, treatment-specific operational conditions were studied for each method. Control drying (drying of potato slices without any pretreatment) was used for comparison. Thus, whether the pretreatment created any considerable change in the functional properties of potato samples was evaluated. Voltage gradients of 20 and 40 V/cm and application times of 2 and 4 min were the studied operational conditions of ohmic heating, whereas ultrasound amplitude levels of 50% and 100% were used with the same application time values. For the blanching process, potato slices were dipped in the boiling water and kept for 2 min. Results showed that the drying time of PFP was independent of pretreatments. Total phenolic content, antioxidant activity (DPPH and ABTS) and anthocyanin content of potato slices subjected to low amplitude short-term ultrasound pretreatment were found to be higher than the corresponding values of the control group. Also, the total phenolic and anthocyanin contents of potato samples treated before drying by ohmic heating at a high electric field (40 V/cm) for 4 min were better than the control samples. The closest colour values to fresh potato were obtained on the samples pretreated by ultrasound application (US-50/2). Depending on pretreatments, any significant change in the rehydration ratio of dried PFP was observed. Also, FTIR spectroscopy with chemometric analyses was studied and results indicated that ohmic heating and ultrasound treatments revealed high potential as innovative pretreatments applied before drying of PFP slices and they were superior with respect to control one.
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Latest Issues

Effects of Age of In Vitro-Derived Potato Plantlets on Early Above- and Below-Ground Development After Planting in Different Cultivars

Abstract

Evaluation of the Reaction of Various Potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) Cultivars to the Meloidogyne incognita and Ralstonia solanacearum Disease Complex under Field Conditions

Abstract

Economic Impact of Potato Virus Y (PVY) in Europe

Abstract

Lupin and Lima Beans Diminish Potatoes’ N and P Uptake, Uptake Efficiency and Use Efficiency

Abstract

Physical Pretreatments to Enhance Purple-Fleshed Potatoes Drying: Effects of Blanching, Ohmic Heating and Ultrasound Pretreatments on Quality Attributes

Abstract

EAPR Sustaining Members