Articles
Biocontrol coating and controlled atmosphere as innovative postharvest solutions to manage potato black dot during cold storage
Article number
1456_38
Pages
293 – 300
Language
English
Abstract
Quality of potato tubers destined for the fresh and pre-packed market depends mainly on their appearance to avoid consumer rejection.
Potato black dot, caused by the fungus Colletotrichum coccodes, produces silvery brown lesions on the skin, negatively affecting the aesthetic appearance of the tubers and, consequently, reducing its marketability.
Despite strategies to manage potato black dot during storage, there is a research gap on how innovative and promising postharvest technologies can be used to control the disease.
Limited research has focused on controlled atmosphere (CA) for sprouting control in potato storage, with no studies addressing its impact on black dot disease.
Therefore, the aim of this work was to investigate the impact of CA, biocontrol coating and its interaction on potato black dot disease development during cold storage, as well as testing their impact on tuber quality.
Potato tubers (cultivar ‘Maris Piper’) were stored under either continuous air flow or CA (i.e., 3% CO2 and 5% O2) for 4 months at 3°C and >90% of relative humidity.
Half of the tubers were used as a control and the other half were treated with an edible coating solution combined with a biocontrol agent based on the action of biological catalysts (enzymes). During postharvest cold storage, tubers were sampled monthly to visually assess black dot severity (% of tuber surface affected by the disease). Quality and physiological parameters such as respiration rate, weight loss, dry matter, and firmness, as well as metabolic changes (i.e., individual sugars) were determined.
The results will be discussed as part of a broader initiative to develop a holistic integrated pest management strategy with the aim of improving potato supply chain while contributing to a better disease management.
Ultimately, the goal is to reduce food loss and waste within the UK potato supply chain.
Potato black dot, caused by the fungus Colletotrichum coccodes, produces silvery brown lesions on the skin, negatively affecting the aesthetic appearance of the tubers and, consequently, reducing its marketability.
Despite strategies to manage potato black dot during storage, there is a research gap on how innovative and promising postharvest technologies can be used to control the disease.
Limited research has focused on controlled atmosphere (CA) for sprouting control in potato storage, with no studies addressing its impact on black dot disease.
Therefore, the aim of this work was to investigate the impact of CA, biocontrol coating and its interaction on potato black dot disease development during cold storage, as well as testing their impact on tuber quality.
Potato tubers (cultivar ‘Maris Piper’) were stored under either continuous air flow or CA (i.e., 3% CO2 and 5% O2) for 4 months at 3°C and >90% of relative humidity.
Half of the tubers were used as a control and the other half were treated with an edible coating solution combined with a biocontrol agent based on the action of biological catalysts (enzymes). During postharvest cold storage, tubers were sampled monthly to visually assess black dot severity (% of tuber surface affected by the disease). Quality and physiological parameters such as respiration rate, weight loss, dry matter, and firmness, as well as metabolic changes (i.e., individual sugars) were determined.
The results will be discussed as part of a broader initiative to develop a holistic integrated pest management strategy with the aim of improving potato supply chain while contributing to a better disease management.
Ultimately, the goal is to reduce food loss and waste within the UK potato supply chain.
Authors
M. Sanzo-Miró, C. Ghidelli, B. Pérez Bibbins, M.C. Alamar
Keywords
quality, food loss and waste, blemish, Solanum tuberosum L, Colletotrichum coccodes
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