Ethylene in the Atmosphere of Commercial Potato (Solanum Tuberosum) Storage Bins and Potential Effects on Tuber Respiration Rate and Fried Chip Color

Abstract

Careful storage management is required to maintain post-harvest potato tuber quality. The plant growth regulator ethylene has well documented effects on potato tuber respiration rate, fried product color, and sprouting, but data on the amount of ethylene present in ventilated potato storages and how ethylene may affect tubers in commercial storage are not available. To address this need, ethylene concentration in ventilated commercial storage bins located in central Wisconsin was quantified using gas chromatography from shortly after bin filling until unloading. Samples of the storage atmosphere were collected approximately every other week from 17, 18 and 14 storage bins in 2010, 2011 and 2012, respectively. Ethylene was present transiently, and only rarely at concentrations greater than 20 nl l−1. In laboratory-scale experiments, chipping potato tubers responded to ethylene at 20 nl l−1 with an increase in tuber respiration rate, but not with an increase in post-fry chip darkening. These data indicate that the impact of atmospheric ethylene on tuber quality and storage management in ventilated potato storages is likely to be small, except near localized regions of high ethylene production.