Production of volatile metabolites in potatoes infected byErwinia carotovoravar.carotovoraandE. carotovoravar.atroseptica

Gas chromatography of headspace atmospheres was used to evaluate the production of metabolic volatiles by small lots of stored potato tubers (Solanum tuberosum) infected with either Erwinia carotovora var. carotovora or Erwinia carotovora var. atroseptica bacteria. The total concentration of volatiles in the headspace of the plastic bags in which the potatoes were maintained increased exponentially as infection by both E. carotovora varieties developed. Temperature-related differences in the growth rates of the E. carotovora varieties were reflected in minor differences in the patterns of volatiles from the infected material. There were no detectable differences in the range of volatile metabolites identified in the headspace profiles of the E. carotovora infections and only one metabolite was produced at a significantly different rate by the two host-pathogen combinations.