The internal quality of the potato going into storage is an important parameter for proper storage management. Unfortunately, a rapid and accurate estimate of this parameter is not available. Respiration analysis has potential to be such a guide. This paper reports work completed during the 1978–79 storage season comparing respiration analysis with the important storage indicators of maturity, dry matter, invert sugars, harvest injury, bruise susceptibility and weight loss. Harvests were made at biweekly intervals over a ten-week period. Samples were evaluated in the respirometer for ten days, then placed in storage at 6°C for six months. Following storage, respiration and invert sugar analyses were reported. Evaluations of bruise susceptibility were made on each harvest date and bruise evaluation of several different harvesters made on the last date. The treatments with the highest invert sugar content and greatest weight loss also had the highest respiration rates.