Cracking and fracture properties of potato (<scp><i>Solanum tuberosum</i></scp> L.) tubers and their relation to dry matter, starch, and mineral distribution

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Potato disorders lead to a significant reduction in the yield and quality of marketable tubers. Thumbnail cracks are physiological tuber skin disorders that can significantly affect the tuber's appearance and, hence, the overall quality. The aim of this study was to characterize fracture properties of the tuber skin. Knowledge of the physiological reasons that influence the resistance of potato tubers to mechanical impacts and thus to cracking and fracturing is limited. Tuber dry matter (DM) and starch content were found to correlate with the rheological properties of tubers, which, in turn, could affect the resistance of the tubers to cracking and fracturing. Moreover, divalent cations, such as calcium (Ca) and magnesium (Mg), and their distribution in the tuber can affect the tuber's resistance to mechanical impacts via cell-wall stabilizing properties. RESULTS: Tubers with higher DM, starch, and Ca concentrations exhibited the highest resistance to mechanical impacts. CONCLUSIONS: The reason for the increased resistance of tubers with higher DM and starch concentrations to mechanical impacts is assumed to be related to a certain cell structure of these tubers, which is why considerable force is needed to damage the cell structures. The relation between higher Ca concentrations and an improved resistance of tubers to mechanical impacts is assumed to be connected with the role of Ca in linking cell-wall polymers and thus stabilizing the cell wall. © 2018 Society of Chemical Industry.