Data underlying the publication: Identifying metabolic indicators of physiological ageing during storage of potato seed tubers

Potato tubers undergo distinctive phases during physiological ageing, including dormancy, apical dominance, multiple sprouting, and senescence. Understanding the biochemical processes underlying these transitions and identifying associated metabolic indicators is of great scientific and agricultural relevance. We investigated metabolic changes during tuber ageing in four contrasting potato cultivars stored at different temperatures over two seasons. Physiological phases were delineated based on sprouting capacity progression, and untargeted metabolic profiling using gas and liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS and LC-MS) was employed to identify compounds that changed at key stages. Twenty-two annotatable metabolites exhibited consistent changes during dormancy break across both seasons and have documented biochemical functions in planta. They are mainly associated with four major pathways: primary metabolism, phenylpropanoid metabolism, oxylipin metabolism, and carotenoid metabolism. Based on existing literature, we propose two primary mechanisms underlying dormancy break: (1) mobilisation of storage compound for energy and nutrient supply, reflected in changes in specific sugar derivatives, amino acids, and organic acids; and (2) conversion of growth-inhibiting compounds into less active, more transportable forms, likely mediated by enzymatic processes such as glycosylation, hydroxylation, and oxidation. Further identification of these inhibitory compounds and their modifying enzymes may deepen our understanding of dormancy regulation and inform breeding strategies tailored to specific dormancy traits for both seed and ware potato production.

马铃薯块茎在生理衰老过程中会经历多个特征性阶段，包括休眠、顶端优势、多芽萌发以及衰老。阐明这些转变背后的生化过程并鉴定相关的代谢标志物，具有重要的科学与农业研究价值。本研究针对四个性状差异显著的马铃薯栽培品种，在两个生长季内于不同温度条件下储存，探究了块茎衰老过程中的代谢变化。研究依据萌芽能力的动态变化划定生理阶段，并采用气相色谱-质谱联用（GC-MS）与液相色谱-质谱联用（LC-MS）技术开展非靶向代谢组学分析，以鉴定关键阶段发生丰度变化的代谢物。共有22种可注释的代谢物在两个生长季的休眠解除过程中均呈现出一致的丰度变化，且在植物体内已被证实具有明确的生化功能。这些代谢物主要涉及四大代谢通路：初级代谢、苯丙烷代谢、脂氧素代谢以及类胡萝卜素代谢。基于现有文献，本研究提出了休眠解除的两大核心机制：其一，动员储存化合物以提供能量与营养供给，这一过程体现在特定糖衍生物、氨基酸及有机酸的丰度变化中；其二，将生长抑制性化合物转化为活性更低、更易转运的形式，该过程大概率由糖基化、羟基化与氧化等酶促反应介导。进一步鉴定这些抑制性化合物及其修饰酶，可加深我们对休眠调控机制的理解，并可为适配种用与食用马铃薯生产中特定休眠性状的育种策略提供理论依据。