Determination of storage responses and quality changes of some potato (Solanum tuberosum l.) cultivars during storage

This research aimed to determine the yield performance and post-harvest storage behavior of potato varieties with different ripening groups under Isparta conditions. The research was conducted in 2018 at Faculty of Agricultural Sciences and Technologies' trial areas and cold storage rooms. In this study, Agria, Agata, Alegria, Desiree, Granola, Hermes, Lady Anna, Marabel, Morphona and Russet Burbank potato varieties which were widely cultivated in Turkey were used. After determining the yield performance of cultivars under field conditions, tuber samples taken from each cultivar were stored at 6-8 oC for 6 months. Dormancy period at 10 daysintervals and weight loss, starch ratio, reducing sugar content, total soluble dry matter content, tuber firmness, chips yield and chips color were investigated at 30 day intervals during storage period. Tuber yields of varieties varied between 2860-5331 kg / da and vegetation period ranged between 97.7-146.6 days. In the storage period, the time taken to break the dormancy in 50% of the tubers ranged between 23.3-111.6 days, and dormancy was broken earlier in the early varieties. At the end of the storage period of 6 months, it was determined that the varieties lost weight between 4.13-6.48%. Starch ratios, reducing sugar content, brix values and chips yields varied depending on the storage time of the cultivars, but generally decreased during storage period. In general, there were significant changes in the quality of chips and edible in the storage period of potato varieties and the varieties with low dry matter ratio which are not suitable for the chips industry and the varieties with early characteristics had higher weight and quality losses in storage. It was concluded that dormancy duration and ripening characteristics of potato varieties had a significant effect on storage quality and therefore, storage period should be determined by taking into account the varietal characteristics in potato storage. Key Words: Cultivar, Potato, Storage, Quality change