Ethylene production as a possible indicator of wound healing in roots of several sweet potato cultivars

Abstract

Fleshy roots of 18 sweet potato cultivars were wounded and cured for 12 days. Significant differences were found between cultivars for ethylene production, cell lignification, and wound periderm formation. Average ethylene production, the number of days ethylene was produced, or the day of peak ethylene production showed nonsignificant and low (r2=0.40) correlations with cell lignification or wound periderm formation; however, multiple regression analysis indicated statistically significant and moderate correlations between selected daily ethylene production and cell lignification (r2=0.74) and wound periderm formation (r2=0.73). These observations suggest that measurement of ethylene produced by wounded sweet potato roots may be useful in helping screen large numbers of sweet potato breeding lines and their progeny for the ability to produce lignified and wound periderm cell layers. Wound healing, however, is only one aspect of good storage capability in sweet potato cultivars.