Field performance of potato microtubers as propagation material

Summary In five field trials with the cultivars Gloria (early), Bintje (mid-early) Désirée (mid-late) and Morene (late), crops grown from conventional 28–35 or 35–45 mm seed were compared with crops grown from microtubers, of various sizes and from various sources, that had been producedin vitro. The following means to quicken initial crop development from the micropropagated material were tested: large microtubers, plastic soil cover, and transplanting of plantlets grown from microtubers pre-planted in a glasshouse. Crops grown from microtubers weighing less than half a gram yielded much less than crops grown from conventional seed crops but their yields were increased by each treatment. With the later-maturing cultivars, which generally produce few tubers per plant, the yields within seed grades from plants grown from transplanted microtuber plants were comparable with those of conventional crops. Reasons are given, why direct planting of microtubers, with or without plastic foil, is not a practical option.     

The effect of water stress on the yielding capacity of potato crops and subsequent performance of seed tubers

Summary The effect of water stress on yielding capacity of potatoes was studied in 3 years using four different levels of soil water potential (0.7, 1.9, 3.4 and 7.8 atm.) in experiments in specially adapted structures that excluded uncontrolled water supply. Seed tubers from these crops were planted in the following years to investigate effects of water stress on their subsequent performance. Limited soil moisture availability decreased yield and the number and size of tubers. The growing period was shortened by 1–4 weeks and dormancy period by 2–8 weeks. In the following year, seed produced under conditions of moisture stress gave plants with 20% fewer stems. 24–33% less yield, 18–22% fewer tubers and 19–22% fewer large tubers than plants from seed produced under abundant water supply. It is concluded that the yield potential of seed tubers can be improved by careful attention to the availability of soil moisture during their production.     

Production and use of seedling tubers from true potato seed (TPS) for potato cultivation in Italy

Summary The effect of varying plant population on the production of tubers from potato seedlings was investigated during 1992 and 1993 using three different plant densities: 35, 70, 100 plants/m². Increasing the plant population significantly increased the number of tubers produced, but no significant difference was found between the plant densities of 70 and 100 plants/m². The seedling tubers produced in nursery beds were tested in the field for ware potato production using different sized tubers. The best performances were obtained using tubers 30–40 mm. Significant differences were evident among the 7 true potato seed (TPS) families used, but data grouped by type of cross did not indicate any significant difference between 4X×4X and 4X×2X crossing groups.     

Comparative performance of three small seed tuber sizes and standard size seed tubers planted at similar stem densities

Summary Small seed tubers of 1–5 g, 5–10 g and 10–20 g were planted at the same sprout densities as standard size seed tubers of 40–60 g in order to give similar stem densities. Early ground cover by foliage, total yield, and yield of tubers >45 mm were consistently greater in plots planted with larger seed tubers. The effect of seed tuber size on yield and tuber number per stem varied between years but 1–5 g seed tubers always gave lower yields per stem than larger seed tubers. Reducing the spacing between rows from 90 cm to 60 cm and maintaining the same sprout density was more effective in increasing yields from small seed tubers than increasing sprout density from 20 to 40 sprouts per m² by reducing plant spacing within the row.     

Disease eradication and propagation of the initial seed potato material in Estonia

Summary The EVIKA Research Centre has developed a disease eradication system for the initial material of seed potato, which consists of 1. Selection of the initial material for eradication, plant thermotherapy, meristem tip cultivation and testing for viruses; 2. Re-eradication (thermotherapy of test-tube plants, cultivation of meristem tips, testing for viruses, testing of varietal quality and yield of disease-free meristem clones, and the selection of meristem clones with best varietal characteristics; 3. Renewing of the initial material (all processes as above, but the initial material is selected from the seed potatoes grown for at least 3 years in the field). Field trials were conducted after the second cycle of eradiaction to determine whether the plantlets were true-to-type and to assess the yield, disease resistance and tuber dry matter. Recently we have also started in vitro testing of meristem plants resistance to late blight, hoping that this approach will improve the selection efficiency. Propagation and growing of the seed tubers consists of 3 main steps: 1. Plantlet propagation in vitro; 2. Greenhouse propagation in plastic rolls; and 3. Planting the first generation tubers in the field. Under our conditions it is the cheapest, simplest and most effective way. Multiplication of the meristem-derived plants is done by shoot tip cuttings in a greenhouse in plastic rolls with peat as the growing medium. The first generation of seed tubers is grown in the field. In our trials plant productivity was affected by the method of multiplication, growing conditions and genotype. The highest yield per hectare was obtained with plants multiplied in plastic rolls. The in vitro plants had more tubers per plant than plants multiplied in plastic rolls. In seed production fields the productivity of plants was more influenced by following our instructions than by multiplication and growing methods. The number of tubers per plant obtained with over 0.5 million plants was 6.5–9.0. In the second generation of seed tubers, grown under equal density, the greater-sized tubers gave more tubers with lower weight than the smaller-sized tubers. Cutting tubers had no effect on the plant development and tuberization.     

Microtuber and minituber production and field performance compared with normal tubers

Summary Microtuber and minitubers of cv. Monalisa were produced in the laboratory and compared with normal seed tubers in a field experiment. These tubers were planted at similar plant densities (13.6 sprouts per m²) with two distances between rows (60 and 90 cm). Final ground cover was almost complete only in the plots derived from normal tubers and decreased with the size of the mother tubers. Normal seed, mini- and microtubers yielded respectively 50.8, 31.7, and 17.0 t/ha (means of two spacings). At close and wide spacing between rows, microtubers yielded respectively 27.3 and 6.7 t/ha, and minitubers 38.9 to 24.4 t/ha. Row spacing did not influence the yields from normal seed tubers. Total number of tubers per m² was also affected and, as means of the two spacings, ranged from 107.8 with microtubers, 122.1 with minitubers, to 142.9 with normal tubers. Mother tuber type also affected the yield distribution in three tuber grades (<36, 36–55, and 55–80 mm) and micro and minitubers produced many small tubers. Multiplication rates and the possible use of different propagation sources are discussed.     

Production of potato minitubers by repeated harvesting: Effects of crop husbandry on yield parameters

Summary Minitubers can be produced in large quantities by repeated harvesting of tubers from in vitro propagated plantlets at 4, 7 and 10 weeks after transplanting to the glasshouse at high plant densities. Yield parameters of minitubers can be manipulated by crop husbandry. By supplying nutrients or using a square plant arrangement, minituber yield increased. Effects on numbers of tubers were cultivar-dependent. Changing plant density from 50 to 800 plants per m² or the minimal diameter of harvested tubers from 5 to 12 mm did not significantly affect tuber yield per m². Higher plant densities resulted in more tubers per m² but fewer tubers per plant. Removing smaller tubers greatly increased the number of small tubers, but did not affect yield and number of tubers in larger grades. Crop husbandry techniques affected minituber yield mainly through their effects on leaf area duration, and the number of minitubers through their effects on growth of tubers to a harvestable size.     

Field performance of potato minitubers with different fresh weights and conventional seed tubers: Multiplication factors and progeny yield variation

Summary Multiplication factors and progeny yield variation in crops from minitubers of five weight classes (ranging from 0.13–0.25 g to 2.00–3.99 g) and conventional seed tubers were studied in field experiments in three years. Multiplication factors were calculated as the number and weight of progeny tubers produced per planted tuber or per unit planted tuber weight. They were lower for the lighter minitubers when calculated per tuber and higher when calculated per weight. Yield variation was described by coefficients of variation for the number and weight of progeny tubers produced. Variation over individual plants of a crop was higher in stands from the lighter minitubers. Variation over plots within a field was sometimes higher for the lighter minitubers, but variation over years was similar for all minituber classes. Variation over plots in progeny tuber weight was higher for minitubers than for conventional tubers.     

Effects of a short period of drought on changes in tuber volume and specific leaf weight. I. Long-term changes

Summary Single-stemmed potato plants, cv. Bintje, were grown on a nutrient solution under controlled conditions. They were exposed to a short drought stress, or remained untreated. Long-term measurements of tuber volume were carried out with a non-destructive volume-meter. Specific leaf weight was monitored with a β-gauge. Tubers from the same plant varied in rate and duration of growth. The relative growth of stressed tubers was 43–54% less than that of the control tubers. The hierarchy of tubers from one stem changed over time in plants that were exposed to the stress. Specific leaf weight declined during the stress period but there was a prompt recovery after the relief from drought. This response was similar to the response of the average rate of volume increase of the tuber.     

Effect of seed tuber and seed piece size on growth and incidence of hollow heart in Norgold Russet potatoes

Small seed pieces decreased yield and number of tubers. Both seed tuber and seed piece size affected the percentage of tubers with hollow heart. Hollow heart increased from 14 to 22% as the seed tuber size increased from 57 to 228 g and decreased from 27 to 19% as the seed piece size increased from 28 to 57 g. The least hollow heart (11%) occurred in tubers of plants grown from 57 g whole seed pieces and the most (26%) in tubers of plants grown from 228 g seed tubers cut into 28 g seed pieces. Hollow heart was positively correlated with the mean tuber size and negatively correlated with the number of mainstems per hill, total yield, and total number of tubers.     

Plant-to-plant transmission of the bacterial ring rot pathogenClavibacter michiganensis subsp.sepedonicus

Summary Plant-to-plant transmission of the bacterial ring rot (BRR) pathogen,Clavibacter michiganensis subsp.sepedonicus (Spieck. et Kott.) Skapt. et Burkh. of potato (Solanum tuberosum L.), was studied in field trials over a three year period. Healthy and infected seed tubers were planted 35 cm apart. In one treatment, a subsurface barrier was placed between the healthy and infected seed tubers separating the root systems of neighbouring plants. In this treatment, none of 216 plants grown from healthy seed tubers was infected at harvest, as determined by indirect immunofluorescence antibody staining (IFAS) with monoclonal antibodies. In the other treatment, no subsurface barrier was used. In this treatment, two of 368 plants (0.5%) grown from healthy seed tubers were infected at harvest. It is concluded that plant-to-plant transmission may occur but at very low frequency, and is unlikely to play a significant role compared with the potential of transmission by shared potato handling equipment.     

Etablierung von Kartoffelsorten im Feld nach physiologischer Alterung der Pflanzknollen

Zusammenfassung Die physiologische Alterung der Pflanzknollen durch Lagerung bei überoptimalen Temperaturen (jahresunterschiedlich 16–29,5°C, 1988–90 vor dem Pflanzen abgekeimt, 1991 vorgekeimt wie Kontrolle) führte im Vergleich zur vorgekeimten Kontrolle im Mittel von 25 Sorten in allen Versuchsjahren zu einer Verminderung der Bestandesdichte und des Ertrages. Eine Gruppe von Sorten erwies sich in allen Jahren als relativ tolerant gegen die Alterung, eine andere als signifikant empfindlicher, dazwischen lag ein breites Mittelfeld mit zum Teil erheblichen Schwankungen in den Jahren. Die Reaktion der Sorten zeigte keine Beziehung zu ihrer Reifegruppe und ihrer Keimintensit?t, dagegen war die sortentypische Ertragsdepression nicht sehr eng, aber signifikant mit dem Schwund w?hrend der Lagerung korreliert.

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Summary Seed tubers were stored at above optimal temperatures. Mean temperatures varied during test years from 16 to 29.5°C (in 1988–1990 tubers desprouted before planting; in 1991 chitted tubers as in control; Table 1). This procedure of physiological ageing of seed tubers resulted in reduced plant density and lower yield compared to the chitted control in every year of the test period (average of 25 cultivars). The emergence was significantly delayed as compared to the control in all years (Table 2). Assessed for yield, the cultivars Désirée, Sanetta, Astilla and Andra showed a significantly higher degree of tolerance to warm storages (>80%, when compared to the control) than the cultivars Arkula, Dorisa, Karlena and Koretta (<25%; Table 3). Between these two extremes there was a large number of intermediate levels of tolerance, a result of fluctuating reactions of various cultivars to changing conditions in the years of the test period (Fig. 1). No correlation could be found between the cultivars' reactions and their maturity group or their sprouting behaviour. There was, however, for each cultivar a significant negative correlation between loss in weight through transpiration and respiration and plant density and yield (r=−0.55 and −0.54; Table 4). Plant density and yield were closely correlated (Table 4). The regressions between loss of plants and reductions in yields show that after seed tuber storage at higher temperatures a reduced yield must be expected even when plant density is not reduced (loss of plant 0%; Fig. 2). With complete stands, the use of physiologically aged seed tubers that were desprouted before planting (1988–1990) resulted in a reduction of yield of 17–20%; when old seeds were chitted as in control a loss in yield of 15% was calculated.

     

Comparison of hydroponic culture and culture in a peat/sand mixture and the influence of nutrient solution and plant density on seed potato yields

Summary Two culture systems for propagating first generation potatoes were compared; the traditional system used a peat/sand mixture with mineral fertilizer, and hydroponic culture used perlite and nutrient solution. Total production and the number of tubers obtained using the hydroponic system were significantly higher than using the traditional culture system. Tuber yields from in vitro plants and minitubers depended upon time of year. During the autumn/winter cycle yield from minitubers was double that from in vitro plants, whereas the reverse was true during the spring/summer cycle. Four hydroponic test cultures were carried out to study the influence of seed density. The number of tubers obtained increased significantly with seed density but there was no decrease in the number of large-diameter tubers.     

Quelques aspects de l’influence du tubercule de semence et du nombre des tiges sur la croissance de la plante de Pomme de terre

Résumé La croissance des plantes de Pommes de terre estétudiée ici en fonction de l’age et de la taille du tubercule qui est à leur origine. L’influence de la taille est envisagée en considérant d’une part des plantes unitiges issues de tubercules de taille différente, d’autre part des plantes ayant un nombre variable de tiges pour une même taille du tubercule de semence. Schématiquement, on peut dire que les plantes ont un cycle végétatif d’autant plus court et un développement final d’autant plus faible que le tubercule de semence est plus agé ou que la quantité de réserves disponible par tige est plus petite. L’étude de plantes unitiges issues de tubercules entiers et de plantes provenant de bourgeons isolés permet d’attribuer une plus grande importance aux réserves qu’au capital méristématique.

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Summary The growth of potato plants was examined in relation to the age and size of the seed tuber. The influence of size is regarded as being involved in considering on the one hand plants originating from tubers of different sizes and on the other hand plants from tubers of the same size but having a variable number of stems; briefly, in varying the quantity of reserves available per stem. In order to distinguish the influence of these reserves from that of the bud meristem, 1-stemmed plants were grown from both whole tubers and detached buds. The plants were placed in pots filled with soil; some experiments were made in sand incorporating Hoagland’s medium or in half-strength Hoagland’s solution. One-stemmed plants were grown from tubers having only the apical bud, or, failing this, a bud at the rose end; during growth, lateral branching of the stems was prevented. Only significant results at the ‘end of the vegetative period’ (prior to yellowing of 25% of the plants) are discussed here.Influence of the size of the seed tuber: a. plants developing from whole tubers (P=30–40 g; G=100–130 g), grown in the glasshouse (Fig. 1), in the open air (Fig. 2) and in a controlled environment room (Fig. 3, 4). It was established that at the final stage of development, plants of series G were larger than those of series P: the diameter of the stems and final number of nodes are more important, the weight of tubers harvested was greater. The vegetative cycle of plants P was shorter than that of plants G; the growth of the stems finished earlier and yellowing started sooner. b. plants grown from buds detached from tubers of different sizes (Fig. 5,6): at the ‘end of the vegetative period’ the differences noted above were slight or non-existent, particularly in respect of the aerial part of the plants. Influence of the age of the seed tuber: a. plants developing from whole tubers (V, I, J 16, 7 and 3,5 months old, respectively) grown in a controlled environment room (Fig. 3,4). Final development of the aerial part of plants J was better than that of plants V: the diameter of the stems and the final number of nodes was greater. Tuberisation was earlier in plants V. Plants I were intermediate between plants V and J. The duration of the vegetative cycle diminished with increasing age of the seed tuber. b. plants grown from buds detached from tubers of different ages (Fig. 6): at the ‘end of the vegetative period’ differences in the aerial parts of the plants were less marked than in the case of plants grown from whole tubers. Influence of the number of stems (Fig. 7, 8): where the seed tuber is small, the number of nodes is greater on single than on 2-stemmed plants. The number of nodes on the principal stem of plants grown from large tubers falls as the number of stems increases (5 to 7). Yield per stem is more important in the case of 1-stemmed plants. In conclusion: The vegetative cycle of the plants is shorter and final development poorer the smaller the reserves available per stem or the greater the age of the seed tuber is. It would appear that more importance should be placed on the tuber reserves than on the meristematic tissues.

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Zusammenfassung Das Wachstum von Kartoffelpflanzen wurde in Abh?ngigkeit von Alter und Gr?sse der Saatknolle untersucht. Der Einfluss der Gr?sse wurde geprüft, indem einerseits Pflanzen mit verschieden grosser Mutterknolle und anderseits Pflanzen, die bei gleich grosser Mutterknolle eine unterschiedliche Zahl von Trieben aufwiesen, in Betracht gezogen wurden, d.h. indem man also die Menge der verfügbaren Reserven pro Trieb variierte. Um den Einfluss der Reserven von jenem des meristemischen Gewebes der Triebe zu unterscheiden, wurden eintriebige Pflanzen, sei es von ganzen Knollen, sei es von isolierten Keimen, kultiviert. Die Pflanzen wurden in mit Erde gefüllte T?pfe gepflanzt; einige Versuche wurden auf mit Hoagland-N?hrboden impr?gniertem Sand oder in einer zur H?lfte verdünnten Hoagland-N?hrl?sung angestellt. Die eintriebigen Pflanzen entwickelten sich aus Knollen, die nur den apikalen Trieb oder, wo dieser fehlte, einen Kronentrieb aufwiesen; man verhinderte die eventuellen seitlichen Verzweigungen der Stengel. Es stehen hier nur die signifikanten Ergebnisse am Ende der Vegetationszeit (bevor 25% der Pflanzen gelb wurden) zur Diskussion. Einfluss der Gr?sse der Saatknolle: a. Pflanzen, hervorgegangen aus ganzen Knollen (P=30–40 g; G=100–130 g). Die Kulturen befanden sich teils im Glashaus (Abb. 1), teils im Freien (Abb. 2) oder in der Klimakammer (Abb. 3 und 4). Man stellte fest, dass die Endentwicklung der Pflanzen in der Serie G gr?sser ist als in Serie P. Durchmesser und Endzahl der Stengelknoten sind gr?sser, das Gewicht der geernteten Knollen ist h?her. Der vegetative Zyklus der P-Pflanzen ist kürzer als jener der G-Pflanzen: das Wachstum der Stengel ist früher abgeschlossen, und die Bl?tter werden früher gelb. b. Pflanzen, hervorgegangen aus Keimen, die Knollen verschiedener Gr?sse entnommen wurden (Abb. 5,6): am ‘Ende der Vegetationszeit’ waren die früher beobachteten Unterschiede schwach oder gleich Null, besonders im oberirdischen Teil der Pflanzen. Einfluss des Alters der Saatknolle: a. Pflanzen, hervorgegangen aus ganzen Knollen (Alter: V= 16, I=7 und J=3,5 Monate). Die Kultur wurde in der Klimakammer durchgeführt (Abb. 3 und 4). Die Endentwicklung des oberirdischen Teils der Pflanzen J war besser als bei den V-Pflanzen. Durchmesser und Endzahl der Internodien waren gr?sser. Die Knollenbildung war deutlich früher bei den V-Pflanzen. Das Verhalten der I-Pflanzen lag zwischen jenem der V- und der J-Pflanzen. Die Dauer des vegetativen Zyklus nimmt mit zunehmendem Alter der Saatknolle ab. b. Pflanzen, hervorgegangen aus isolierten Keimen von Knollen verschiedenen Alters (Abb. 6): am ‘Ende der Vegetationszeit’ waren die Unterschiede in bezug auf den oberirdischen Teil der Pflanzen geringer als bei den Pflanzen aus ganzen Knollen. Einfluss der Anzahl Stengel (Abb. 7 und 8). Die Knotenzahl der Pflanzen mit einem Stengel war gr?sser als bei Pflanzen mit zwei Stengeln, wenn die Saatknolle klein war. Die Knotenzahl des Haupttriebes von Pflanzen aus grossen Knollen nahm bei erh?hter Stengelzahl (5–7) ab. Der Ertrag pro Stengel war bei den einstengeligen Pflanzen h?her. Schlussfolgerungen: Die Pflanzen haben einen um so kürzeren vegetativen Zyklus und eine um so schw?chere Endentwicklung, je kleiner die verfügbare Reservemenge pro Stengel oder je ?lter die Saatknolle ist. Es scheint, dass man den Reserven eine gr?ssere Bedeutung zuschreiben muss als den Eigenschaften des meristemischen Gewebes.

     

Techniques for using sprouts for potato production in the tropics

A series of experiments were conducted in Vietnam to develop a system whereby detached sprouts from physiologically old green sprouted seed tubers could be used to grow potatoes. Three node segments from the mid or basal portion of the detached sprout produced the greatest percentage of shoots and roots. Growth was best in a medium of equal parts of sub-soil, pig manure and brick kiln ash. Sprout cuttings produced plantlets ready for transplanting in 14–20 days with mean daily temperatures of 22 to 24°C. When transplanted in mid-November, yields from sprout cuttings in field experiments were 10 to 18 t/ha which were 33% lower than from healthy seed tubers but more than the national average yield using degenerated seed tubers. Tubers produced by plants grown from sprout stored well and gave good yields when replanted the following year. Requests for reprints to International Potato Center, Box 933, Manila, Philippines.     

Field performance of potato minitubers with different fresh weights and conventional seed tubers: Crop establishment and yield formation

Summary Field performance of five fresh weight classes of minitubers ranging from 0.13–0.25 g to 2.00–3.99 g and conventional seed tubers was studied in a short growing season (79 or 82 days) in two years. The heavier minitubers gave a more regular emergence, faster ground cover soon after emergence, higher dry-matter yields, and higher fresh tuber yields. Radiation conversion coefficient (RCC) did not differ. Higher tuber yields resulted from more radiation intercepted due to a faster ground cover, and a higher harvest index. All minitubers produced plants with one primary stem. In one experiment when heavier minitubers had long sprouts, time to 50% emergence decreased with tuber weight, whereas dry-matter concentration of progeny tubers increased. Conventional tubers appeared superior to minitubers in all characteristics mentioned except RCC, which was similar. Differences in performance between minitubers and conventional tubers were attributed to weight and age of seed tubers, presprouting method and crop husbandry.     

Soil water stress and the growth and yield of potato plants grown from microtubers and conventional seed tubers

Tuber yields of potato plants grown from microtubers in fields are more variable than yields from conventional seed tubers (CT). One reason could be their higher susceptibility to water stress. This study clarified the effect of soil water stress from 1 month after emergence on the growth and yield of plants grown from conventional seed tubers and microtubers in fields. Microtubers (0.5–3 g) and conventional seed tubers (50 g) were grown in Hokkaido, Japan, over three field seasons. One month after emergence, poly-shelters were placed over the plots to prevent rainfall, and either irrigated (wet plot) or non-irrigated (dry plot) treatments were formed. At mid-flowering (about 50 days after emergence) leaf area index (LAI) in microtuber plants was decreased relatively more due to soil water stress than LAI in conventional seed tuber plants. However, at maximum shoot growth (about 80 days after emergence) both microtuber and conventional seed tuber plants had a similar relative decrease in LAI due to soil water stress. At mid-flowering and maximum shoot growth microtuber and conventional seed tuber plants had reduced stomatal conductance due to soil water stress, but the reduction in stomatal conductance was greater in conventional seed tuber plants than in microtuber plants. Microtuber and conventional seed tuber plants had similar root development at maximum shoot growth. Tuber production from mid-flowering until plant maturity was similarly affected by soil water stress in microtuber and conventional seed tuber plants. At harvest, plants affected by soil water stress had about 87% of the tuber dry weight of irrigated plants. We conclude, that the greater variation on tuber yield of microtuber plants cannot be attributed to soil water stress from 1 month after emergence.     

Growth and Tuberization of Hydroponically Grown Potatoes

Three hydroponic systems (aeroponics, aerohydroponics, and deep-water culture) were compared for the production of potato (Solanum tuberosum) seed tubers. Aerohydroponics was designed to improve the root zone environment of aeroponics by maintaining root contact with nutrient solution in the lower part of the beds, while intermittently spraying roots in the upper part. Root vitality, shoot fresh and dry weight, and total leaf area were significantly highest when cv. Superior, a medium early-maturing cultivar, was grown in the aeroponic system. This better plant growth in the aeroponic system was accompanied by rapid changes of solution pH and EC, and early tuberization. However, with cv. Atlantic, a mid-late maturing cultivar, there were no significant differences in shoot weight and leaf area among the hydroponic systems. The first tuberization was observed in aeroponics on 26–30 and 43–53 days after transplanting for cvs Superior and Atlantic, respectively. Tuberization in aerohydroponics and deep-water culture system occurred about 3–4 and 6–8 days later, respectively. The number of tubers produced was greatest in the deep-water culture system, but the total tuber weight per plant was the least in this system. For cv. Atlantic, the number of tubers <30 g weight was higher in aerohydroponics than in aeroponics, whereas there was no difference in the number of tubers >30 g between aerohydroponics and aeroponics. For cv. Superior, there was no difference in the size distribution of tubers between the two aeroponic systems. It could be concluded that deep-water culture system could be used to produce many small tubers (1–5 g) for plant propagation. However, the reduced number of large tubers above 5 g weight in the deep-water culture system, may favor use of either aeroponics or aerohydroponics. These two systems produced a similar number of tubers in each size group for the medium-early season cv. Superior, whereas aerohydroponics produced more tubers than aeroponics for the mid-late cultivar Atlantic.     

Potato cuttings as models to study maturation and senescence

Summary Single leaf cuttings with their subtended axillary buds proved to be useful models to study maturation and senescence in potato (Solanum tuberosum L.). Senescence was more rapid if the cultivar was early maturing or if plants were exposed to short days before cuttings were taken. Rooting was decreased by short days before cutting; excision of the buried bud only partially overcame the effects on senescence and rooting. High rates of N to mother plants in the field delayed senescence of cuttings in a way analogous to the delayed senescence of field plants. The tuberization of cuttings from late maturing cultivars was decreased by high rates of N. The color of crisps made from bud tubers was positively correlated with the color of crisps made from ordinary tubers of the same cultivars. Sugar concentrations in bud tubers decreased as cuttings became more senescent and increased after cold storage. Bud tubers harvested while ‘immature’ had greater concentrations of reducing sugars after 90 d at 10°C than did ‘mature’ bud tubers. Paper No. 878, Department of Vegetable Crops, Cornell University. This research was supported through HATCH project NYS161414, a contributing project to Regional Project NC150, and through HATCH project NYS161407.     

Influence of stem canker (Rhizoctonia solani Kühn) on tuber yield,tuber size,reducing sugars and crisp colour in cv. Record

Summary In eight experiments in 4 years, inoculating seed tubers withR. solani caused stem canker and in seven experiments decreased the total yield and the yield of tubers 40–70 mm. Yields of larger tubers were usually increased. In most experiments inoculating increased the reducing sugar content of the tubers and darkened the colour of crisps, but did not consistently affect the amounts of sucrose. Treating soil with aldicarb or oxamyl before planting also slightly increased the total reducing sugars.