Effect of potato apical leaf curl disease on glycemic index and resistant starch of potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) tubers

Tomato leaf curl New Delhi virus-potato (ToLCNDV-potato) causes potato apical leaf curl disease which severely affects nutritional parameters such as carbohydrate, protein, and starch biosynthesis thereby altering glycemic index (GI) and resistant starch (RS) of potato. ToLCNDV-potato virus was inoculated on potato cultivars (Kufri Pukhraj [susceptible]; Kufri Bahar [resistant]) and various quality parameters of potato tuber were studied. There was a significant (P < 0.01) reduction in starch, amylose and resistant starch contents in the infected tubers. However, carbohydrate and amylopectin increased significantly (P < 0.01) which contributes to increased starch digestibility reflected with high GI and glycemic load values. Besides, ToLCNDV-potato infection leads to a significant increase in reducing sugar, sucrose, amino acid and protein in potato tubers. This is a firstever study that highlights the impact of biotic stress on GI, RS and nutritional quality parameters of potato which is a matter of concern for consumers.

Automated summary

The study revealed that infection of ToLCNDV-potato results in a reduction in starch, amylose, and resistant starch contents in potato tubers, while increasing carbohydrate and amylopectin contents, leading to enhanced starch digestibility reflected in higher GI and glycemic load values. Additionally, virus infection also significantly increases reducing sugar, sucrose, amino acid, and protein contents in potato tubers.