STORABILITY AND ORGANOLEPTIC PERFORMANCE OF INDIGENOUS AND EXOTIC POTATO COLLECTIONS

Sixty two indigenous and exotic potato collections were assessed for three important parameters like storage behaviour at room temperature, tuber dry matter content and cooking quality during consecutive years. The maximum, minimum temperatures and relative humidity during storage period ranged between 28 to 38 0C, 20-28 0C and 26 to 78%, respectively. The lesser total weight loss was recorded in 21 collections and top ten were Phulwa Red Splash (7.8%), LahTora (8.3%), Phulwa Red (8.4%), Desla Lal (8.5%), Sisa Pani (8.8%), Burma Special (9.0%), Gulabia (9.0%), Lal Mitti-1 (9.1%), Gartentic (9.1%) and K-22 (9.2%). Higher tuber dry matter percent was observed in 16 collections, top five among them were Lady Rosetta (23.0%), Jeevan Jyoti (22.7%), Desi Aloo (22.1%), DRR-Blue (22.0), Lah saw Khasi (21.9%) and lowest in Variety Nainital (14.6%). Out of 62 potato collections, 19 adjudged as floury, 16 mealy, 26 waxy and one (Assamia Aloo) as soggy. Sprouting percentage at 75 days of storage had highly significant positive correlation with percent physiological weight loss (r=0.51**, n=62), percent weight loss due to sprouts (r=0.59**) and percent total weight loss (r=0.59**).