Effect of heat on potatoes

Desiree potatoes grown under ambient conditions (left) or with exposure to 33°C soil temperature for one week before harvest (right). From Fogelman et al, 2019.

Worldwide, potatoes are the third largest global food crop, cultivated in 158 countries and consumed daily by over a billion people.

Summer temperature records across the globe are being smashed on a regular basis. As heat is one of the most significant uncontrollable factors affecting potatoes, it is worth examining the impact of climate change and warming on the production, yield and nutritional quality of potatoes.

The effect of heat on potatoes is discussed in Issue 11 of PotatoLink magazine, including its impact on:

• Growth and development

• Photosynthesis

• The root zone

• Diseases and disorders and

• Nutritional quality.