Field Storage of Vegetables in Cold District (III)

Preservation of Quality of Chinese Yam (Dioscrea opposita THUNB.)

Abstract

In Tokachi district, field storage of Chinese yam tubers has been done by the growers during winter. Since Chinese yam tubers are stored on the ground at low temperature, the field storage is considered to be effective for energy saving. The effect of storage on the ground for the quality of Chinese yam tuber is not so clearly found. The changes in quality of the Chinese yam tuber during field storage were, therefore, investigated from November of 1980 through July of 1981.
Experimental results indicated that viscosity of the yam tuber decreased rapidly between the beginning and the middle of November, but increase in non-reducing sugar content was so slight during winter that the taste of tuber became little sweet. The viscosity and non-reducing sugar content of the yam tuber could be expressed as the function of underground temperature and reducing sugar content.