Year: 1990
Type: article
Abstract: Activated oxygen or oxygen free radical mediated damage to plants has been established or implicated in many plant stress situations. The extent of activated oxygen damage to potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) tubers during low temperature storage and long-term storage is not known. Quantitation of oxygen free radical mediated damage in plant tissues is difficult. However, it is comparatively easy to quantitate endogenous antioxidants, which detoxify potentially damaging forms of activated oxygen. Three tuber antioxidants, superoxide dismutase, catalase, and alpha-tocopherol were assayed from four potato cultivars stored at 3 degrees C and 9 degrees C for 40 weeks. Tubers stored at 3 degrees C demonstrated increased superoxide dismutase activities (up to 72%) compared to tubers stored at 9 degrees C. Time dependent increases in the levels of superoxide dismutase, catalase, and alpha-tocopherol occurred during the course of the 40 week storage. The possible relationship between these increases in antioxidants and the rate of activated oxygen production in the tubers is discussed.
Source: PLANT PHYSIOLOGY
DOI: 10.1104/pp.94.3.1214
Authors: James P. Spychalla, Sharon L. Desborough
Institution: University of Minnesota
Language: English
Subfield: Plant Science
Domain: Life Sciences
SDG: Zero hunger
Open Access status: bronze
OpenAlex ID: W1999541720