Influence of environmental conditions on the quality of potato tubers

Abstract

In 1995–1997 seven varieties of potatoes were cultivated in field trials in twelve localities in the Czech Republic. Six of the twelve localities were situated in lower, warmer and drier areas with fertile, predominantly loamy soils. The other localities were situated in higher, colder and more humid areas. They represent traditional potato-growing areas  in the Czech Republic. After harvest  potato tubers of all varieties were analysed for resistance to mechanical damage, dry matter content, reducing sugar (RS) content, nitrate content, polyphenol content. Glycoalkaloid (GA) content  was analysed only in Karin variety. In all experimental years potatoes cultivated at lower altitudes contained less RS (by 22%), less polyphenolic compounds (by 5.8%), higher percentage of tubers not mechanically damaged with the rebound pendulum (by 12.7%), compared to tubers from higher localities. On the other hand, tubers grown at lower altitudes contained more nitrates (by 26.8%) in all three years. Over the three years, the average of results in Karin variety did not demonstrate the influence of environmental conditions of the areas on GA content in tubers.