Articles
ENVIRONMENTAL FACTORS AFFECTING VASCULAR STREAKING, A POSTHARVEST PHYSIOLOGICAL DISORDER OF CASSAVA ROOT (MANIHOT ESCULENTA CRANTZ)
Article number
343_71
Pages
297 – 299
Language
Abstract
The effect of relative humidity (RH) and oxygen (O2) level on controlling vascular streaking (VS) in cassava root (Manihot esculenta Crantz) was studied.
Waxed Valencia cassava roots from 12-month old plants were held in controlled atmosphere at 25C for 3 days, after which they were evaluated for VS incidence (%). Five roots per treatment were used in a 2×2 factorial design experiment.
The distal end of each root was cut off, exposing an area of about 10 to 12 cm2 to the atmosphere and enhancing VS development.
Low (54-56%) and high (95-98%) RH treatments were maintained using glycerol-water solutions.
The O2 levels were 21% (air) and 1.0% (balance N2). The levels of O2 and RH in the atmosphere both had significant effects on the development of VS (P=0.01). There was also a significant interaction between these two factors (P=0.05). Low RH plus ambient O2 level enhanced VS development (46% incidence). Reducing O2 to 1% at low RH reduced VS development (15% incidence). However, VS was almost completely inhibited (1.4% incidence) at high RH irrespective of O2 level.
It appears that the occurrence of VS in cassava root is primarily related to water stress in the tissue.
Oxygen is secondarily involved in the discoloration reaction.
Waxed Valencia cassava roots from 12-month old plants were held in controlled atmosphere at 25C for 3 days, after which they were evaluated for VS incidence (%). Five roots per treatment were used in a 2×2 factorial design experiment.
The distal end of each root was cut off, exposing an area of about 10 to 12 cm2 to the atmosphere and enhancing VS development.
Low (54-56%) and high (95-98%) RH treatments were maintained using glycerol-water solutions.
The O2 levels were 21% (air) and 1.0% (balance N2). The levels of O2 and RH in the atmosphere both had significant effects on the development of VS (P=0.01). There was also a significant interaction between these two factors (P=0.05). Low RH plus ambient O2 level enhanced VS development (46% incidence). Reducing O2 to 1% at low RH reduced VS development (15% incidence). However, VS was almost completely inhibited (1.4% incidence) at high RH irrespective of O2 level.
It appears that the occurrence of VS in cassava root is primarily related to water stress in the tissue.
Oxygen is secondarily involved in the discoloration reaction.
Publication
Authors
J.J. Aracena, S.A. Sargent, J.K. Brecht, C.A. Campbell
Keywords
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