Specific gravity of Russet Burbank potatoes

Kleinkopf, G.E. and Westermann, D.T. and Willie, M.J. and Kleinschmidt, G.D. (1987) Specific gravity of Russet Burbank potatoes. American Potato Journal. 64:579-588.

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Abstract

Variability in specific gravity of Russet Burbank potatoes was documented
in a single 32 hectare field. Maximum variation was 40 units among individual
tubers within hills (one unit equals one part in 1000th of specific gravity
measurement) and 15 units among hills. Field site variability of 10-15 units
was common between sampled grid lines in the field; but bulked samples
(truckloads) reduced the sampled variability to 8-10 units. When the samples
were taken from bulked lots as opposed to single hill samples, the variability
decreased. Grower lots, which were pooled samples from several truckloads,
showed specific gravity differences of 2-7 units even though all lots were
from the same field. These variations among specific gravity samples should
be taken into account when considering total solids content in any lot of
potatoes.

Degree of russetting of the skin and hollow heart also influenced
specific gravity measurements. Measured differences between peeled and
unpeeled lots of 10 units in specific gravity corresponded to 2% difference in
total solids content. Statistically, the variance of the peeled lot was one half
that of the unpeeled lot, therefore, to minimize the measured differences
due to skin type, peeled potatoes could be used for the specific gravity
measurements.

Item Type:	Article
NWISRL Publication Number:	0630
Subjects:	Irrigated crops > Potato Mass Import - autoclassified (may be erroneous)
Depositing User:	Dan Stieneke
Date Deposited:	20 Nov 2010 21:53
Last Modified:	06 Jan 2017 21:43
Item ID:	489
URI:	https://eprints.nwisrl.ars.usda.gov/id/eprint/489