BLACK HEART OF POTATO

1. BLACK HEART OF POTATO End Previous Next

2. Black heart of Potato • It is an important storage , transit and market disease of potato tubers as a result of poor oxygen relations. • The disease occurs in poorly ventilated room in closely packed condition. Cross section of infected tubers End Previous Next

3. Black heart of Potato • It also occurs in the field when temperature of soil goes above 320C during growth and maturation of tubers. • The disease occurs in transit when the temperature inside the carrying vans rises for sometimes above 320C End Previous Next

4. Symptoms: • Dark grey to purplish or blue black discolouration in irregular pattern in the central portion of tubers. • Large tubers are more susceptible to black heart. End Previous Next

5. Discoloured tissues are firm but on exposure to room temperature it become soft and inky • In advance stages the affected tissues dry out and shrinks with formation of cavity in the centre of the tuber. End Previous Next

6. End Previous Cause • It is a non pathogenic disease . • Black heart develops when oxygen is excluded or unable to reach internal tuber tissues. • It develops more rapidly between 00C and 2.50 C than at 50C • At temperature of 360C -400 C or of 00C or slightly below black heart may also develops because of less gas diffusion through the tissues of tubers. Next

7. Post harvest – Poor Ventilation, Temps below 0 0C or above 33 0C in storage or transit End Previous Next

8. End Previous Management • Store the tubers in well ventilated rooms and the bags of tubers should not be piled very high upon each other. • Provide sufficient aeration during storage. • Do not expose tubers to high temperature nor to prolonged storage near 00C. • In the field if the soil temperature goes very high( above 320C) during maturation of tubers should be irrigated. Next