1. The potato hollow heart
Potato hollow heart: causes, symptoms, and prevention
What is a potato hollow heart?
Potato hollow heart is a physiological disorder that affects the inside of the tuber. Although the outer surface looks perfectly normal, an empty, star-shaped, or lens-shaped cavity can develop in the center of the tuber, especially in large-sized potatoes.
Symptoms
- A small central area of the tuber dies, leaving a hollow space.
- The cavity expands during tuber growth and is often star-like with sharp corners.
- It is typically lined with cork tissue and rarely shows external signs.
- The issue is unrelated to rotting and is usually not caused by pathogens.
How it develops
The problem occurs when the cells around the tuber's core grow faster than the central cells, causing physical separation and the formation of a hollow center. This is a purely mechanical process enzymes are not involved.
Conditions that favor the disorder
- It is common in large tubers, especially as they mature.
- Fast vegetative growth at the start of tuber formation due to:
- High temperatures
- A sudden increase in soil moisture
- Heavy nitrogen fertilization
- Also worsened by:
- Using small seed tubers
- Large spacing between plants
- Uneven fertilization or late nitrogen application
Prevention tips
- Avoid excessive nitrogen early in the season.
- Use well-sized seed tubers and plant at proper spacing.
- Maintain steady soil moisture.
- Choose varieties less prone to hollow hearts.
Tomato fruit cracking: types, causes, and solutions
What causes tomato fruit to crack?
Cracking occurs when the fruit suddenly absorbs water after a dry period. The internal tissue expands, but the skin has lost flexibility and splits under pressure.
When it happens
- After a drought followed by heavy rain or irrigation
- In open-field tomatoes exposed to sun and wind
- After sudden growth spurts caused by improved weather or nitrogen fertilization
- When fruit skin ripens quickly and loses elasticity
Types of tomato cracking
- Circular cracks
- Appear as rings around the stem (fruit shoulder).
- Usually shallow
- Start early in green fruit and remain until maturity
- Rarely appear after the fruit starts coloring
- Vertical cracks
- Extend from the stem toward the blossom end.
- Deep penetrate the skin
- Appear during fruit ripening
- Seldom found on green fruit
- It can affect up to half the fruit length
- Zigzag (cotyledon) cracks
- Irregular, deep cracks not connected to the stem
- Occur in fully ripened fruit
- Give the fruit a rough, mesh-like appearance when combined with circular cracks
Varietal susceptibility
Some tomato varieties are more prone to circular cracks, while others are more susceptible to vertical ones. Choosing resistant varieties is essential for minimizing crop loss.
Solutions and treatments
- Use calcium chloride to strengthen the fruit skin.
- Apply growth regulators like NAA (30 ppm) and kinetin (8 ppm) weekly after petal fall. This can reduce cracking dramatically—from 83% to 10% in sensitive cultivars.
- Maintain consistent irrigation.
- Avoid over-fertilization.
- Harvest fruits while still green to avoid vertical cracks.
Final thoughts
Both potato hollow heart and tomato cracking are physiological problems caused by environmental conditions, not diseases. You can significantly reduce these issues and improve crop quality by maintaining balanced growth through proper fertilization, watering, and variety selection.
Frequently asked questions
Is hollow heart dangerous to eat?
No, cut out the hollow area. The rest of the tuber is safe.
Can tomato cracking be avoided altogether?
It can't always be avoided, but consistent watering and nutrient balance reduce the risk.
Do enzymes cause potato hollow heart?
No, it's caused by physical stress during growth, not enzymatic activity.
Should I throw away cracked tomatoes?
Deep cracks may allow pathogens in. It's best to harvest early or remove severely cracked fruits.