Effect of chlorpropham (CIPC) on carbohydrate metabolism of potato tubers during storage

Two chipping cultivars. Snowden and Monona, with or without Chlorpropham (CIPC) application, were stored in darkness at 10-12 degreesC and approxiniately 95% humidity. following the 1997 growing season. Chip color. dry matter, and protein contents were monitored over 30 weeks of storage. Tuber concentrations of sucrose, reducing sugars, and major metabolites. as well as enzymes involved in glycolysis. oxidative pentose phosphate pathway, anaerobic and oxidative respiration were monitored during storage. Respiration, as measured by CO2 production. was significantly (P less than or equal to 0.05) suppressed in CIPC-treated tubers. CIPC treatment had no significant (P > 0.05) effect on chip color quality Or tuber concentrations of protein. dry matter. Sucrose. reducing sugars, or the assayed enzymes and metabolites of glycolysis (phosphofructokinases, NADH. ATP). The metabolite NADPH as higher in untreated tubers. consistent with its role in anabolic biosynthetic pathways involved in sprout production. Concentrations of ethanol and lactate, products of anaerobic respiration. were significantly (P less than or equal to 0.05) higher in the CIPC-treated Snm den tubers. relative to the untreated tubers. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.