ISHS Acta Horticulturae 670: I International Symposium on Root and Tuber Crops: Food Down Under
MANAGING POTATO CROPS FOR CULINARY QUALITY |
| Authors: | B.P. Searle, P. Jarvis, R.J. Lucas |
| Keywords: | texture, French fries, steaming, proportional-odds analysis, specific gravity, prediction |
| Abstract:
Four experiments were conducted over three seasons to determine if nitrogen and irrigation management could be used to control the culinary quality of potatoes. Rates of nitrogen fertiliser application varied from 0-320kg N/ha and irrigation rates ranged from 0-30mm of water applied at a 50mm SMD. At harvest, tubers were graded into table (55-60mm) for steaming tests and process (>60mm) for French fry tests. Specific gravity (SG) was also measured. Immediately after cooking samples were scored for textural characteristics. Sloughing and mealiness of steamed potatoes decreased with applied N in only one experiment, but increased with tuber SG in all experiments. The relationship means that the likelihood of steamed tubers having particular textural characteristics can be predicted from their SG. Oiliness, crispness and texture characteristics of French fries were influenced by N applications, and there was a significant nitrogen-irrigation interaction on mealiness. However, there was no correlation between textural scores and tuber SG for French fries. Nitrogen rates greater than 200 kg N/ha and late irrigation will reduce the textural quality of French fries. In contrast higher N applications are required for good texture of steamed potatoes. The results indicate that culinary quality can be influenced by crop management, and some textural characteristics predicted from tuber SG. | |
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