Changes of cellular structure of potato tuber parenchyma tissues during storage

Abstract

The presented work is continuation of researches on cellular structure of potato tuber parenchyma tissue. It concerns changes of the potato tuber cellular structure parameters during storage. Tubers of two varieties: Andromeda and Pasat were tested, 5 tubers for each variety and storage period. Cylindrical samples 10 mm in diameter and 1 mm thick were taken out of two types of tissues − potato pith and internal parenchyma from each tuber. Images of the tissues in natural state were taken with optical confocal microscope. Technique elaborated earlier by the author was used to obtain images containing number of cells sufficient for statistical analysis. As the result of analysis performed following mean values parameters of cell size and shape were used: surface area of plane section of the cell A (μm<sup>2</sup>) and cell elongation E. The results show differences between cell size for potato pith and internal parenchyma Andromeda variety and storage period. For this smaller values of the area of cell were obtained just after harvest. No differences of area of cell were observed for Pasat variety, and no differences in elongation of cell were observed for all varieties.