PROPERTIES OF POTATO STARCH - EFFECTS OF GENOTYPE AND GROWING CONDITIONS

The aim of this work was to determine whether genotype and growing con ditions influence the composition and physical properties of potato tu ber starch granules. Starch is thought to be the source of the reducin g sugars produced during low-temperature sweetening. Genotype influenc ed the properties of starch granules but there was no consistent diffe rence between sweetening and non-sweetening cultivars in the propertie s of their starch granules. Growing conditions affected starch granule characteristics with starch from tubers grown in the heated glasshous e conditions having higher gelatinization temperatures and amylose con tents as well as greater resistance to degradation by bacterial alpha- amylase.