Effect of infection by Rhizopus oryzae on biochemical composition of stored potato tubers.

The carbohydrate fractions, protein and lipid contents of two cultivars of potato namely, Irish Cobbler and Red Pontiac, were altered quantitatively by Rhizopus oryzae during the 10-day incubation period. Glucose content increased during the incubation period for both healthy and inoculated tubers. Starch, maltose, sucrose, protein and lipid contents decreased more rapidly in inoculated tubers than in healthy tubers in both cultivars. The depletion in starch and protein in the infected tubers appeared to be greater for Irish Cobbler than in Red Pontiac; decreases for other constituents seemed fairly comparable.