Abstract
The potential for bacterial soft rot caused byErwinia carotovora in freshly inoculated potato tubers was reduced up to 99% by immersion for 5 min in solutions of sodium hypochlorite (chlorine bleach) containing up to 10,000 ppm chlorine. Reductions up to 93% were achieved using a combination treatment of immersion in 1% citric acid for 5 min followed by airdrying. Immersion treatment alone in 1% aqueous solutions of citric, acetic, ascorbic, or malonic acid also significantly reduced the soft rot potential. In contrast, no reductions accompanied treatment with solutions of potassium or calcium acetate. All treatments including the combination immersion/airdrying treatment were much less effective if tubers had been infiltrated initially with soft rotErwinia or had numerous mechanical injuries. If tubers had not been infiltrated with the causal organism, immersing them in 1% citric acid reduced the potential nearly as much as a similar treatment with 1000 ppm chlorine. A 30-sec immersion in the latter was less effective than a similar treatment with 500 ppm a.i. CGA 78039, an experimental bactericide. However, air-drying, coupled with provisions for keeping tuber surfaces free from moisture, remains the most effective means of reducing losses to bacterial soft rot.
Resumen
El potencial de la pudrición blanda bacteriana causada porErwinia carotovora, en tubérculos de papa inoculados recientemente, se redujo hasta en 99%, por la inmersión de los mismos, durante 5 minutos, en soluciones de hipoclorito de sodio (lejía) conteniendo hasta 10 000 ppm de cloro. Se lagraron reducciones hasta de 93% utilizando un tratamiento combinado de inmersión en ácido cítrico al 1% por 5 minutos, seguida por secado al aire. El tratamiento consistente en solo las inmersión en soluciones acuosas de ácidos cítricos, acético, ascórbico, y malónico al 1%, redujo también significativamente el potencial de la pudrición blanda. Por lo contrario, no se obtuvo reducción alguna por los tratamientos con soluciones de acetatos de potasio o de calcio. Todos los tratamientos, incluyendo la combinación de inmersión/secado al aire fueron menos efectivos cuando los tubérculos fueron infiltrados inicialmente con la Erwinia de la pudrición blanda o cuando los tubérculos tenían numerosas lesiones mecánicas. Si los tubérculos no habían sido infiltrados con el organismo causal, la inmersión en ácido cítrico al 1% redujo el potencial tanto como un tratamiento similar con 1000 ppm de cloro. Una inmersión por 30 segundos en el último tratamiento mencionado fue menos efectiva que un tratamiento similar con 500 ppm de un bactericida experimental como el CGA 78039. Sin embargo, el secado al aire, acompanado de precausiones para mantener las superficies de los tubérculos libres de humedad se mantiene como el medio más eficaz para reducir las pérdidas debidas a la pudrición blanda bacteriana.
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Journal Series Article 7062 of the Florida Agricultural Experiment Station, Gainesville.
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Bartz, J.A., Kelman, A. Reducing the potential for bacterial soft rot in potato tubers by chemical treatments and drying. American Potato Journal 63, 481–493 (1986). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02852943
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02852943