Project details
Status: Current
At a glance
- The p-age of seed potatoes at planting has an enormous impact on the potato crop yield and quality.
- This research aims to develop a fast, accurate and robust method for measuring the p-age of seed potatoes. Knowing the p-age of the seed potato at planting will allow the crop to be managed to maximise uniformity, yield and quality.
About the project
Potato (Solanum tuberosum) is one of the most important agricultural crops worldwide. This crop is somewhat unique in that it is not grown from seed but from ‘seed potatoes’. Seed potatoes look just like the potatoes we eat but are grown specifically for planting. The age of seed potatoes at planting has enormous impacts on the yield and quality of the resulting potato harvest.
Tubers are known to have two different, yet related, ages: chronological age and p-age. The chronological age is simply the time elapsed since the tuber was harvested; the p-age refers to the biochemical state of the potato and progresses at different rates, depending on the environmental conditions and the potato variety.
Each potato variety has an optimal p-age at which it should be planted to maximise the uniformity, yield and quality of the harvest. Currently there is no fast, accurate and robust method to measure potato p-age. This research aims to develop a fast, robust and accurate method to determine potato p-age by answering the following questions:
- How does the biochemical activity inside seed potatoes change as the tuber becomes physiologically older?
- What is the optimum temperature and duration of seed potato at storage before planting?
Key Outcomes
This research will provide following outcomes for the potato industries.
- Understanding the age of seed potatoes prior to planting
- Knowledge of the management strategies required for different aged seed potato tubers to maximize crop yield, uniformity and quality
- Improved overall productivity and profitability of potato crops
Related stories
For more information contact:
Dr Nathan Tivendale | Nathan.tivendale@utas.edu.au
Ms Pramila Wagle | PhD Candidate | Pramila.wagle@utas.edu.au
Acknowledgements:
‘Sustainably growing horticulture value in cool climate Australia’ (AS20004) is funded through Frontiers developed by Hort Innovation, with coinvestment from the Tasmanian Institute of Agriculture, University of Tasmania, Simplot, Premium Fresh, Bejo, Potatoes New Zealand, The Scottish Society of Plant Research, Botanical Resources Australia, South Pacific Seeds and contributions from the Australian Government and contributions from the Australian Government.