Abstract
To determine the appropriate packing material for true potato (Solanum tuberosum) seed (TPS), seedling tubers and Potato standard variety tubers during cold storage, the present study was conducted at Agriculture Research Institute, Tandojam, Pakistan located at 25.24, 46.00,’N, 68.32, 12.00E during 2009 and 2010. In this study tubers of three genotypes viz, TPS=9802, TPS=9804, TPS=9805 and standard potato variety Diamant were stored in five different packing materials viz. gunny bag, polyethylene bag, cloth bag, netted bag and wooden crate. The results obtained from 500 g standard weight of sample. The maximum tuber weight (485.0 g) was recorded in TPS-9804 genotype kept in gunny bags. However, minimum tuber weight (262.6 g) noted by Diamant variety stored in polyethylene bag.The maximum tuber rottening (17.79%) was recorded in Diamant variety stored in polyethylene bag as packing material. However, the minimum tuber rottening (3.10%) was found in TPS-9804 genotype when tubers were stored in gunny bag. After taken out of material from cold storage, tubers were kept without packing material at room temperature of 20-25 0C for sprouting up to ten days. Than the higher tuber sprouting (92.64%) was found in TPS-9804 genotype stored in gunny bags and lower tuber sprouting (51.95%) was recorded in Diamant variety stored in polyethylene bag. Hence TPS- 9804 genotype recommended for potato growers of Sindh province due to its better storage capability using gunny bag as packing material.
