Respiration and Weight Losses of Potatoes During Storage
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Date
1973
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North Dakota State University
Abstract
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The topic is weight losses of potatoes during their storage. Potatoes lose weight in the process of respiration, converting sugar and starches to carbon dioxide and water and losing moisture because of vapor pressure differences between the
tubers and the surrounding air. This article examines the total weight loss and the part of it due to respiration as affected
by variety, temperature and humidity during storage. Results indicated that respiration
accounted for about one-tenth to one-half of the total weight loss, except when potatoes were
stored in 100 % relative humidity. Under this condition, there was an actual net gain, apparently from the tubers absorbing moisture from the surrounding atmosphere. By the reduction the temperature, the respiration rate was reduced and consequently less energy from the potatoes was used and less moisture produced from the metabolic reactions.