Sweetpotato Storage Roots Research Articles

Ethanol, Alcohol Dehydrogenase, and Pyruvate Decarboxylase in Storage Roots of Four Sweet Potato Cultivars during Simulated Flood-damage and Storage1

Abstract Flood-damage was simulated by submerging freshly harvested storage roots of 4 cultivars of sweet potato (lpomoea batatas (L.) Lam) under water for 48 hours. Root ethanol accumulation (μmoles/g fresh weight) for each cultivar was: ‘Centennial’, 38.6; ‘Jasper’, 42.9; ‘Jewel’, 48.8; and ‘Caromex’, 74.4. Storage losses due to rotting and accelerated weight loss were highest in ‘Caromex’ and second highest in ‘Jewel’. The amount of ethanol formed was not correlated with the apparent activity of either pyruvate decarboxylase or alcohol dehydrogenase. Cultivars differed upon removal from anaerobic conditions in their ability to metabolize accumulated ethanol. Cured roots of the 2 tolerant cultivars eliminated ethanol earlier than those of the 2 susceptible cultivars after anaerobic treatment. Thus, flood-damage to sweet potato storage roots may involve at least 2 factors, the rate of ethanol accumulation due to anaerobic treatment and the subsequent lag period and extent of metabolism of accumulated ethanol upon removal of anaerobic conditions.

Effect of Soil Oxygen Concentration on Sweet Potato Storage Root Induction and/or Development1

Abstract Sweet potato plants, Ipomoea batatas (L.) Lam. cv. Porto Rico Red with the storage root production zone subjected to 2.5% oxygen for 81 days, showed an almost complete repression in storage root number and weight, when compared to plants subjected to 21% oxygen. When plants were grown in 2.5% oxygen for 81 days followed by 21% oxygen for 28 days, there was no difference in storage root number when compared to plants grown in 21 % oxygen for the entire period. Alteration of the storage root zone oxygen concentration appears to provide an excellent method for studying the initial biochemical changes occurring during storage root induction and/or development.

Induction of Outgrowth Formation on Storage Roots of Sweet Potato due to Plant Pathogenic Bacteria

Induction of Outgrowth Formation on Storage Roots of Sweet Potato due to Plant Pathogenic Bacteria

Some Observations on the Growth and Development of Sweet Potato (Ipomoea Batatas)

SummaryFour Ipomoea batatas cultivars were observed to develop measurable storage roots at the 6-to 8-leaf stage approximately 3 weeks from planting. The increase in sweet potato storage root weight followed a linear growth pattern with time. It was seen that the attainment of the highest vegetative growth weight preceded the largest storage root weight increase by several weeks, and this time interval was dependent upon the cultivar and the condition of growth. A high degree of correlation existed in each year between the development of the tops and the storage root weight.

Procedure for Determining Intercellular Space of Roots and Specific Gravity of Sweetpotato Root Tissue1

Abstract Recent studies showed that at harvest sweetpotato storage roots contain as much as 10 milliliters of intercellular space per 100 milliliters of root; during storage intercellular space increases to the extent that it becomes visible and is classified as pithiness or internal breakdown (1). A preliminary report shows that by accounting for the intercellular space tissue specific gravity values can be computed and correlated with drymatter content in much the same manner as for Irish potatoes (2). At harvest intercellular space for each of four varieties was relatively constant for a given variety and differed significantly among varieties (4).

Procedure for Determining Intercellular Space of Roots and Specific Gravity of Sweetpotato Root Tissue1

Abstract Recent studies showed that at harvest sweetpotato storage roots contain as much as 10 milliliters of intercellular space per 100 milliliters of root; during storage intercellular space increases to the extent that it becomes visible and is classified as pithiness or internal breakdown (1). A preliminary report shows that by accounting for the intercellular space tissue specific gravity values can be computed and correlated with drymatter content in much the same manner as for Irish potatoes (2). At harvest intercellular space for each of four varieties was relatively constant for a given variety and differed significantly among varieties (4).