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

Melatonin Effects on Potato Yield and Disease Resistance Assessed Through Exogenous Application and Endogenous Modification
29th April, 2025
Interest in phytomelatonin biosynthesis and activity has increased due to apparent effects on enhancing resistance to biotic and abiotic stress. Activity related to biotic stress has been associated with increased salicylic acid production and interaction of melatonin with reactive oxygen radicals. Activity related to abiotic stress is associated with alterations in auxin responses, providing reduced levels of senescence. The role of melatonin was investigated in potato using weekly exogenous application of a 2 mM melatonin sprayed onto leaves of whole plants. Modification of endogenous melatonin biosynthesis involved alterations in expression of two genes in the phytomelatonin biosynthetic pathway, using overexpression of caffeic acid O-methyltransferase (COMT) and antisense silencing of serotonin N-acetyltransferase (SNAT). Plant leaflets were assessed for disease resistance by inoculation with Alternaria solani (early blight). Exogenous application of melatonin did not increase pathogen resistance in detached leaflet assays. Melatonin applications did increase total tuber weights in the greenhouse by 8 to 30% depending on the cultivar tested. Endogenous modification of the melatonin biosynthetic gene SNAT did not affect disease resistance. Although the SNAT silenced plants had normal phenotypes, the COF overexpression resulted in short, thickened stems and leaves along with undersized, misshaped tubers, indicating that COF overexpression is undesirable for modification of endogenous melatonin levels.
See full article
Cloning and Bioinformatics Analysis of the StGRAS46 Gene in Potato
24th April, 2025
Through preliminary identification and research of potato StGRAS family genes, it was found that the potato StGRAS46 gene is one of the DELLA family genes in its eight subfamilies. Protein structure analysis revealed that it contains typical DELLA and GRAS structures. This experiment used the nucleotide sequence of the AtGAI gene in Arabidopsis thaliana as the query sequence for BLAST alignment to obtain the sequence of the potato StGRAS46 gene (GenBank accession number: NM_001318585). Bioinformatics analysis revealed that the gene is located on chromosome 11, with a CDS region of 1766 bp, encoding 588 amino acid residues. The promoter region showed that the potato StGRAS46 gene contains various cis-acting elements related to stress response and growth and development, such as GAREAT, GATABOX, and ABRRELATERD1. To further reveal the function of the potato StGRAS46 gene, “Favorita” was used as the experimental material, and the potato StGRAS46 gene was cloned using PCR technology to construct an over-expression vector of the potato StGRAS46 gene. This study laid the foundation for further research on the role of the StGRAS46 gene in potato growth and development, as well as the stress resistance mechanism.
See full article
Comprehensive Survey of Common Potato Viruses in Eastern Anatolia Region of Turkey: New Isolates and Phylogenetic Insights
9th April, 2025
Potatoes (Solanum tuberosum L.) are a vital crop in Turkey, contributing significantly to the country’s economy. However, they are susceptible to various viral infections, causing substantial yield losses if left unmanaged. This study aimed to conduct a comprehensive survey of economically significant viruses affecting potatoes in the Eastern Anatolia Region, Turkey, including the identification of new isolates and the inference of their phylogenetic relationships. A total of 1130 fresh leaf samples, including asymptomatic and symptomatic plant samples, were tested using the multiplex RT-PCR (m-RT-PCR) method to determine the prevalence of five viral pathogens. The test results revealed the presence of four viral pathogens, with an overall infection incidence of 37.08%. PVY was found in 35% of the samples, PVS in 8.5%, PVX in 1.8%, and PLRV in 1%. However, PVA was not detected. In addition, 74 of the 98 samples tested were positive for PVY + PVS, 13 for PVY + PVX, 2 for PVY + PLRV, 8 for PVY + PVS + PVX, and 1 for PVY + PVS + PLRV. From each sample that tested positive, two isolates were selected, and the complete coat protein (CP) gene regions of these isolates were cloned and sequenced. The sequences of the new potato virus isolates were deposited in the GenBank. Nucleic acid sequence comparisons revealed a consensus of over 99% among all available isolates and those from other regions of the world. However, this similarity is not specific to any particular host or region. In support of the similarities in nucleic acid, phylogenetic analyses also provided information on the evolutionary relatedness of these isolates from various origins and hosts. This finding suggests that the genetic makeup of these isolates is highly conserved across different populations and environments. This study, conducted in the Eastern Anatolia Region of Turkey, is the first comprehensive report on the presence and molecular phylogeny of four viral pathogens of economic importance in potato crops.
See full article
Comparing Forecasting Models for Potato Production: Evaluating T-ARMA, ARIMA-ARCH, Weibull and Score-Driven Approaches in Major Global Producers
9th April, 2025
This study examines trends in potato production across five major global producers (China, India, Russia, Ukraine and the US) using annual data from 1961 to 2022. We evaluate the T-ARMA, ARIMA-ARCH, Weibull and score-driven models to forecast production from 2023 to 2030. The results identify the T-ARMA model as optimal for China and India (validation MAE: 1,668 thousand tonnes and 3,277 thousand tonnes, respectively), while the ARIMA-ARCH and Weibull models perform best for Russia (MAE: 1,405 thousand tonnes) and the US (MAE: 547 thousand tonnes), respectively. Projections indicate a marginal decline in China (from 96,073 to 96,066 thousand tonnes; − 0.007%) and India (from 55,701 to 55,698 thousand tonnes; − 0.005%), contrasted by robust growth in Russia (from 20,026 to 26,284 thousand tonnes; + 31.2%). Ukraine’s production remains stable at approximately 21,103 thousand tonnes annually, while the US experiences a slight decline (from 18,054 to 18,053 thousand tonnes; − 0.005%). These forecasts, derived from regionally tailored models, offer actionable insights for policymakers to strengthen food security, optimize supply chains and prioritize agricultural innovation.
See full article
Optimising Processing Technologies for Coloured-Skinned Potato Wedges: Analysis of Bioactive Compounds, Structural Integrity, and Sensory Properties
7th April, 2025
The study aimed to optimise the process for developing low-fat potato wedges from coloured potatoes. The process involved high-temperature, short-time blanching (85 ℃ for 3 min) of sliced potatoes followed by low-temperature, long-time blanching (65 ℃ for 2, 4, 6, and 8 min). Blanching for 8 min was identified as the optimal time, based on FTIR, XRD, and oil uptake analysis. This blanching time was then used in the production of frozen potato wedges. Among the tested varieties, all demonstrated higher values of total anthocyanins, phenols, and flavonoid content compared to Lady Rosetta (control). Textural and sensory analysis revealed Kufri Neelkanth as the most suitable variety for wedges production due to its superior texture and sensory attributes.
See full article

Latest Issues

Melatonin Effects on Potato Yield and Disease Resistance Assessed Through Exogenous Application and Endogenous Modification

Cloning and Bioinformatics Analysis of the StGRAS46 Gene in Potato

Comprehensive Survey of Common Potato Viruses in Eastern Anatolia Region of Turkey: New Isolates and Phylogenetic Insights

Comparing Forecasting Models for Potato Production: Evaluating T-ARMA, ARIMA-ARCH, Weibull and Score-Driven Approaches in Major Global Producers

Optimising Processing Technologies for Coloured-Skinned Potato Wedges: Analysis of Bioactive Compounds, Structural Integrity, and Sensory Properties

EAPR Sustaining Members