Cork in potato

[Palustris]

We have this in some of our First Early potatoes, Concorde. Any ideas?

[Alice]

Hello Palustris, the only idea I have is that they are First Earlies and this is December. Have you just lifted them or did you store them. First earlies don't store.

[Palustris]

First earlies actually will keep until Christmas, no bother. Seconds keep right until the first first earlies are ready. We do not even bother with main crop (mainly 'cos of Blight). These have had the core in them since they were lifted in July as per normal. There are no external signs of it, it is only found when they are peeled.
There is nothing mentioned as far as I can see, though I am still researching, in any of my books which looks like this. The various viruses of pots can produce marks in the tubers, but none are described as looking like this.
We have had in the past 'skin' inside them where there has been re-growth afer the skin has formed, but there is usually sign that the tuber has 'folded in' on itself in that case.
The plants themselves (from memory) had no leaf markings or stunted growth, though the crop was small. We put that down to the lack of water which is the only thing we can think of as being wrong with the growth.
Thanks anyway.

[Snadger]

I've had a bit shufty around net and came up with this, Hollow Heart of potatoes linked to potassium defficiency !

Here's a link, see what you think?

http://www.ipipotash.org/presentn/kinmp.html#disorders

Have a look under Physiological Disorders!

[Palustris]

I looked at that, but all the info I found said that Hollow heart developed in storage rather than as in these, being there when first harvested. It also said that the tubers would not store, but begin to rot, the pictures were taken today so they are not even remotely beginning to decompose. Very odd. There is another condition which I found which is similar, though the discolouration seems greater. the cause of it is posted as unknown, presumed mineral deficiencies. It is listed as Internal browning.
Thanks again.

[Snadger]

Might be worth getting a soil analysis done though, do you not think?
Trace element defficiencies can also give strange symptoms.

Done them myself and it's taken ten years to get the potassium levels up to an acceptable level!

[Palustris]

First time I have seen this in over 30 years of spud growing. We think it as much due to weather conditions as anything else. The apples have storage probs this year caused by drought. If it re occurs next year will do something about it. Like stop gorwing spuds, we rarely eat them now!

[nick the grief]

It could be the fact that the hot dry weather has stopped them taking up the nutrients Palustris. Try emptying a water butt (slowly) over them next year if it's another hot one - it may help

[beefy]

Saw Hollow Heart a few years ago palustris and have to say what youv'e got looks pretty much like what I was looking at . I know the 24 ton load was rejected and sent back to the farm it came from.

[ugly gourd]

I was always told hollow heart is where the centre of the potatoe becomes hollow caused by excess water the potatoe grows but centre doesnt fill but Ive seen what s in the pictures but dont know what it is Ive looked in Dr hessayon hes got hollow heart but not yours Paularis

[Palustris]

Thanks folks. I have to agree that it looks nothing like what I have known as Hollow heart in the past. The tubers are good apart form that piece which cuts out very easily and the rest is good to eat.

[Snadger]

It would be interesting to find out what area you are from palustris and see if anyone near by has suffered from the same?

[Palustris]

Perhaps I should have nipped out into the fields around us and dug up some of the 'nomads' left behind from the previous years commercial potato growing and see if they had the same. Bit late now though, they have poured weed killer all over them.

[Geordie]

Have you not acquired that rare second early the 'eclair' potato with soft chocolate centre. Think its from belgium!

[JennieAtkinson]

Oh I commiserated with you Palustris when I read your post and saw the pictures. Then I got a tattie out of my store bag tonight and it looks the same!

Once I had cut the middle out the rest of the potatoe was fine, in fact great. Now we didn't get a drought, so perhaps it cant be due to that. I have only grown potatoes for three years, so don't have that much experience, but didn't experience anything like this the previous two years.

It is in my second earlies though, not the first. I hope it hasn't spread too far as these were my best and the ones I wanted to use as Bakers!

Any clues anyone?

Jennie