Biochemistry of postharvest spoilage of sweetpotato (Ipomoea batatas L.)1. Changes in starch, total sugar, praline and ascorbic acid content

R.C. Ray and Swayam Prava Pati

ABSTRACT

Java black rot and soft rot are two important postharvest diseases of sweetpotato caused by Botryodiplodia theobromae Pat. and Rhizopus oryzae Went & Prins. Geerl., respectively. There was a gradual decline in starch and ascorbic acid contents in sweetpotato roots following harvest and this decline was further aggravated by infection by these putative fungi B. theobromae and R. oryzae. However, the total sugar and proline contents did not exhibit much variation between fungi-infected and uninfected tubers.

Keywords: Botryodiplodia theobromae, Ipomoea batatas L. java black rot, Rhizopus oryzae, soft rot, spoilage, sweetpotato


Annals of Tropical Research 23(2):(2001)
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