Assessing ideal storage temperatures for new chipping varieties

Lead Applicant: Katerina Jordan

Research Priority: Plant Health & Protections

Program Type: Tier 1

Funding Cycle: 2025/2026

Research Centre: Ontario Crops Research Centre - Elora

Research Summary: The potato chip industry uses about half of Ontario's potato fields, worth up to $55 million. Producers harvest potatoes from July to October and store them through winter. Keeping potatoes cold stops them from sprouting but can make chips too dark. To fix this, growers have used chemicals and stored potatoes near 10°C. Breeding programs are now developing new potato varieties that have a natural tolerance to cold induced sweetening. These new potatoes could help the industry use fewer chemicals while keeping chip quality high. The goal is to find which types of potatoes can stay in colder storage for a long time without losing quality.