Potato tuber degradation is regulated by carbohydrate metabolism: Results of transcriptomic analysis

Tuber number is an essential factor determining yield and commodity in potato production. The initiation number has long been considered the sole determinant of the final total tuber number. In this study, we observed that tuber numbers at harvest were lower than at the tuber bulking stage; some formed tubers that were smaller than 3 cm degraded during development. Carbohydrate metabolism plays a crucial role in tuber degradation by coordinating the source-sink relationship. The contents of starch and sucrose, and the C:N ratio, are dramatically reduced in degradating tubers. Transcriptomic study showed that "carbohydrate metabolic processes" are Gene Ontology (GO) terms associated with tuber degradation. A polysaccharide degradation-related gene, LOC102601831, and a sugar transport gene, LOC102587850 (SWEET6a), are dramatically up-regulated in degradating tubers according to transcriptomic analysis, as validated by qRT-PCT. The terms "peptidase inhibitor activity" and "hydrolase activity" refer to the changes in molecular functions that degradating tubers exhibit. Nitrogen supplementation during potato development alleviates tuber degradation to a certain degree. This study provides novel insight into potato tuber development and possible management strategies for improving potato cultivation.