Physiological and biochemical dynamics of sweet potato as affected by controlled atmosphere storage treatments
2018
Sowe, S. | Landahl, S. | Tosetti, R. | Terry, L. A.
The effects of controlled atmosphere (CA) on sweet potato are less reported compared to tuber crops such as potato. There is a paucity of information on the role that CA storage plays in controlling the physiological deterioration and changes in non-structural carbohydrates in sweet potato during storage. The overall objective of this study is to elucidate the efficacy of CA treatments on the physiological and biochemical (non-structural carbohydrates) changes of sweet potato during storage. The root samples from a single cultivar were stored in 16-L airtight boxes at 20°C. The root samples in the boxes were then flushed with gas treatments of 5% CO2 and 8% O2 supplemented with and without 10 µL L-1 exogenous ethylene. Respiration rates were significantly different among all treatments (p<0.05) and significantly decreased with storage duration. The mean weight loss of marketable roots among the respective treatments was also significantly different. Similarly sweet potatoes stored in CA combined with ethylene produced a significantly higher respiration rate in comparison to those stored in air and CA during the six weeks storage. Sucrose content was significantly higher than fructose, glucose and maltose in all the sweet potato samples irrespective of storage treatment. Results in this study suggest that CA could be a viable option in extending the postharvest life of sweet potato during storage under tropical and sub-tropical temperatures.
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