Coating and modified atmosphere effects on potato tuber greening

Abstract

SUMMARYCoating and modified atmosphere treatments reduced light-induced greening of King Edward potatoes. Although ‘Pro-long’ coating and 5% O2 treatments gave more complete inhibition of greening in some tubers, the variability of response was greater and the mean response less than for treatment with 15% CO2, 21% O2. The pattern of greening in the different treatments suggested the presence of O2 gradients within the tuber flesh. Coating caused small internal atmosphere changes, with CO2 content being negatively correlated with chlorophyll content. Larger changes achieved by modifying the external atmosphere of such tubers increased greening suppression. However, the magnitude of response to coating and to the low O2 treatment varied with maturity and growing conditions. The success of coating for inhibition of greening in potatoes will depend upon the physiological variability of the tubers to which it is applied.