Short communicationA rapid and effective method for observation of suberized cell layers in potato tuber skin

- A quick observation method of suberized cell layers in potato is proposed.
- Different sources and development stages of potatoes tubers can be well analyzed.
- The number and thickness of suberized cells layers can be analyzed simultaneously.

The suberization of surface cells is important for potato tubers for water and mineral metabolisms, and disease resistance during growth and development. Observation of structural changes of suberized cell layers can provide the most constructive logical evidence for related research. A quick and effective method to observe suberized cell layer in potato tuber skin is reported in this paper. This improved method removed the common fixation steps and reduced staining time to only 5-10 min. The process to analyze a tuber sample takes less than 30 min. Various types of potato tubers, including mature and immature tubers, PCS (potato common scab) pathogen infected tuber and microtubers were used in this study. Qualified observations were obtained and are presented. The method provides an alternative for research related to tuber skin studies, such as potato tuber disease development, maturation, and storage quality.