Physiological, productive and qualitative aspects of potato in early and late cycles

In Italy, characterised by different pedo-climatic conditions, annual potato covers an area of 80,000 ha and produces 2 million tons. The diversified climatic conditions of our country allow its cultivation in different cycles, spring-summer in the Centre and North, winter-spring (Early potato) and summer-autumn (Late potato) in the South. The two last cultivation cycles are defined 'extraseasonal' and cover a surface of over 24,000 ha, equal to 44% of the total Italian potato surface, and have a remarkable commercial importance for exports. The different growing conditions (in early and late cycles) induce different characteristics in the product. A study on six potato varieties, in early and late cycles was conducted in 2003 to test the influence of different environmental conditions on potato. The analyses concerning the physiological (LAI, SPAD), productive (total and marketable yield, tubers per plant and tuber weight) qualitative (dry matter, fry colour ACB scale), and compositional (K, Ca, S, Mg, Fe, Vitamin C) parameters showed the influence of the variable environmental condition on the yield, physiological behaviour of the plant and the compositional characteristic of the tubers.