The degree of starch phosphorylation as influenced by phosphate deprivation of potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) plants

Summary The levels of starch phosphorylation in potato tubers were investigated in relation to fertilization with phosphorus (P) of field-grown and greenhouse-grown plants. The field-grown plants received 0, 15 or 30 kg P ha⁻¹. Starch from plants grown without P-fertilizer contained 15.6 nmol P (mg starch)⁻¹ whereas starch from plants grown with 30 kg P ha⁻¹ contained 20.6 nmol P (mg starch)⁻¹. The greenhouse-grown plants were cultured in inert media and received nutrient solutions containing 0, 3, 12 or 24 mg P l⁻¹, respectively. Plants grown with no P-fertilizer produced tuber starch with phosphorylation levels reduced to approximately 30% of the level found in plants grown with an ample supply of P. Thus, the level of starch phosphorylation can be modified by limiting the P-supply through the root system. Application of foliar P-fertilizer to the greenhouse-grown plants had no significant effect on the phosphorylation of the tuber starch.     

Potato and Human Exploration of Space: Some Observations from NASA-Sponsored Controlled Environment Studies

Future space exploration by humans will require reliable supplies of food, oxygen and clean water to sustain the expeditions. Potato is one of several crops being studied for such a “life support” role. Tests sponsored by the US National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) confirmed the well-known short day tendencies for tuberisation, but also revealed that some cvs. (e.g., Norland, Denali and Russet Burbank) could tuberise well under continuous high light. Horticultural tests showed that plants grew well and tuberised readily using a nutrient film technique (NFT). CO₂ enrichment studies with potato showed typical C₃ responses in photosynthesis and yield, with maximum rates occurring near 1000 μmol mol⁻¹. The highest tuber yields from these controlled environment studies reached 19.7 kg FM m⁻² or equivalent to nearly 200 t ha⁻¹. This equated to a productivity of 38 g m⁻² DM m⁻² day⁻¹. Stand evapotranspiration (ET) rates ranged from 3.4 to 5.2 l m⁻² day⁻¹ throughout growth, while maximum ET rates for canopies could approach 10 l m⁻² day⁻¹. Harvest indices (tuber DM/total DM) typically ranged from 0.7 to 0.8, indicating that waste (inedible) biomass from potato would be less than that from many other crops. An experiment was conducted in 1995 on NASA’s Space Shuttle using excised potato leaves to study tuber formation at axillary buds during spaceflight. The results showed that tubers formed equally well in space as in the ground controls, indicating that reduced gravity should not be an impediment to tuberisation.     

Influence of storage temperature on rate of potato tuber tissue infection caused byPhytophthora infestans (mont.) de bary estimated by digital image analysis

Summary Potato tubers were inoculated with two biotypes ofPhytophthora infestans then stored at 3,7, 10 and 15°C. Image analysis quantified average reflective intensity (ARI) of diseased tissue from cut surfaces of sample tubers. Tuber tissue infection and infection rate were measured by calculating Mean ARI of samples. Average tuber tissue infection and infection rate was minimal at 3°C (P.i.-US8 orP.i.-US1). Tuber tissue infection increased at temperatures >3°C, from 220 Mean ARI seven days after inoculation (dai) to 190–150 Mean ARI 50 dai (depending on cultivar and biotype ofP. infestans). Rate of tuber tissue infection caused byP.i.-US1 at 7°C was about zero in cv. Snowden but greater than −0.2 ARI day⁻¹ (cvs Russet Burbank and Superior). Rate of late blight infection in tuber tissue generally increased with temperature from −0.2 ARI day⁻¹ (at 7°C) in all cultivars to a maximum of −0.8 ARI day⁻¹ (10°C).     

Residues of free and bound maleic hydrazide in potato tubers

Summary The method of Vadukul (1991) for determining maleic hydrazide (MH) was modified and gave recoveries of free MH of 89%±4%. The values recorded on individual tubers ranged from 2–14 mg kg⁻¹. Maleic hydrazide was evenly distributed throughout the tuber (peel, outer and inner flesh) but concentration increased slightly as tuber size increased. The concentration of free MH decreased from 7 to 3 mg kg⁻¹ over the storage period of 5 1/2 months. Acid hydrolysis released substantial amounts of MH particularly from older potatoes (13 mg kg⁻¹) compared with 6 mg kg⁻¹ from new potatoes, implying that free MH is gradually converted to a bound form with time after treatment. No evidence was found for the presence of a β-glucoside of MH.     

Effects of reducing leaf area and tuber number on the growth rates of tubers on individual potato plants

Summary Potato plants (Solanum tuberosum L. cv. Ostara) were grown in nutrient solution culture in a controlled environment. Growth rates of individual tubers were determined daily by measuring the increase in their volume. Decreasing the source:sink ratio of individual plants by removing half of the leaf area, decreased tuber growth rate per plant by 50%. Increasing the source: sink ratio of individual plants by cooling to 8°C, or by removing individual tubers of known growth rate, increased the growth rate of non-cooled, remaining tubers within 2–4 days. The potential of the tubers to increase their growth rates was not related to the date of tuber removal after tuber initiation. It is concluded that during the phase of linear tuber bulking, tuber growth is neither limited by pathway nor sink, but by the source capacity of the plant.

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Zusammenfassung Kartoffelpflanzen (Solanum tuberosum L. cv. Ostara) wuchsen in N?hrl?sung unter kontrollierten Umweltbedingungen (14 h Tagesl?nge, 22°C/18°C Tag/Nachttemperatur, 60–80% relative Luftfeuchtigkeit, Licht-intensit?t in Pflanzenh?he ≈380 μE m⁻² s⁻¹). Die Wachstumsraten der einzelnen Knollen wurden t?glich aus ihrer Volumenzunahme bestimmt. Die Auswirkungen von Source- und Sink-Manipulationen auf die Wachstumsraten der Knollen wurden w?hrend der Phase linearen Knollenwachstums untersucht. Eine Reduzierung der Source-St?rke einzelner Pflanzen durch Entfernen jedes 2. Fiederblattes oder eines von 2 gleichwertigen hauptstengeln pro Pflanze bewirkte eine sofortige Abnahme des Knollenwachstums pro Pflanze um 50% (Abb. 4). In den meisten F?llen nahm auch die Wachtstumsrate der einzelnen Knollen an den Pflanzen um etwa 50% ab (Abb. 5). Durch Kühlung einzelner Knollen auf +8°C wurden deren Wachstumsraten im Durchschnitt von 4,5 auf 1,6 cm³ d⁻¹ gesenkt, w?hrend gleichzeitig die Wachstumsraten der ungekühlten Knollen von 2,8 auf 5,2 cm³ d⁻¹ anstiegen (Tab. 1). Das Entfernen einzelner Knollen, die bis dahin durch-schnittlich zu 60% am Gesamtknollenwachstum pro Pflanze beteiligt waren, führte innerhalb von 2–4 Tagen zu einem mehr als doppelt so schnellen Wachstum der an den Pflanzen verbliebenen Knollen, so dass das Gesamtknollenwachstum pro Pflanze nicht signifikant ver?ndert wurde (Abb. 1). Hierbei wurden die Wachstumsraten aller an der Pflanze verbliebenen Knollen erh?ht, wobei Wachstumsraten von mehr als 8 cm³ pro Einzelknolle und Tag erreicht wurden (Abb. 3). Die F?higkeit der Knollen, ihre Wachstumsrate dem jeweiligen Assimilatangebot anzupassen, war nicht davon abh?ngig, zu welchem Zeitpunkt nach der Knolleninduktion (10–30 d) einzelne Knollen entfernt wurden (Abb. 2). Aus den Untersuchungen wird gefolgert, dass in der phase des linearen Knollenwachstums eine Limitierung des Knollenwachstums weder durch den transportweg noch durch die Speicherf?higkeit der Knollen bewirkt wird, sondern durch die F?higkeit des oberirdischen Sprosses, Assimilate zur Verfügung zu stellen.

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Résumé Des plantes de pommes de terre (Solanum tuberosum L. cv. Ostara) sont cultivées dans une solution nutritive sous atmosphère contr?lée (longueur de jours 14 h; températures jour/nuit 22°C/18°C; humidité relative de l'air 60 à 80%; intensité du rayonnement photosynthétique à hauteur de la plante ≃380 μF m⁻² s⁻¹). Le grossissement des tubercules est déterminé chaque jour en mesurant l'augmentation de leur volume. Les effets de la source d'assimilation et du puits d'absorption sont analysés pendant la phase linéaire de grossissement des tubercules. Une diminution du rapport source: puits d'absorption est obtenue en supprimant la moitié de la surface foliaire de chaque plante. Le grossissement des tubercules diminue en conséquence de 50% (figure 4). Mis à part quelques exceptions, les taux de croissance des tubercules individuels baissent également de 50% (figure 5). Le refroidissement de certains tubercules d'une même plante à 8°C entra?ne une diminution moyenne de leur grossissement de 4,5 à 1,6 cm³/jour. Dans le même temps, les autres tubercules voient leur croissance augmenter de 2,8 à 5,2 cm³/jour (tableau 1). La suppression de certains tubercules qui avaient contribué pour 60% au grossissement total obtenu par plante, entr?ne une augmentation de croissance de plus de 100% des tubercules restants, ceci en moins de 2 à 4 jours. De ce fait, la croissance totale, par plante n'est pas significativement inférieure (figure 1). Après suppression de certains tubercules, on constate que pour tous les tubercules restants leur grossissement augmente et le taux maximum de croissance atteint 8 cm³/jour (figure 3). Les tubercules ajustent leur grossissement en fonction de l'apport effectif de photosynthèse sans liaison avec la date de suppression de certains tubercules après leur initiation (figure 2). En conclusion, pendant la phase linéaire de grossisement, la croissance des tubercules n'est pas limitée par le puits d'absorption, mais par la capacité de la source d'assimilation de la plante.

     

Heat inhibition of tuber development in potato (Solanum tuberosum L.): effects on microtuber formation in vitro

Summary Microtuber formation by single node stem segments of in vitro grown potato plantlets was used as a model system for investigation of heat inhibition of tuber development. The stem segments were incubated in darkness at 20°C or 26°C on a tuberisation medium containing benzyl aminopurine (140 μg 1⁻¹) and sucrose (80 g 1⁻¹). Continuous incubation at 26°C strongly inhibited tuberisation and exposure to 26°C for only 1 week before transfer to 20°C significantly reduced microtuber fresh weight. Inclusion of a gibberellin synthesis inhibitor, paclobutrazol (10⁻⁵ M), in the tuberisation medium counteracted the heat inhibition of tuber initiation but not the reduction of microtuber fresh weight. Thus, consistent with previous reports, inhibition of tuber initiation appears attributable to increased endogenous levels of gibberellins. Possible causes of the reduction in microtuber fresh weight are discussed.     

Beziehungen zwischen Stengel- und Knollenzahl bei der Kartoffel in Abhängigkeit von wichtigen Einflußfaktoren. II. Der Einfluß des Jahres

Zusammenfassung In sieben Versuchsjahren beeinflusste die jahrestypische Stengelzahl die Zahl der Knollenanlagen pro Pflanze positiv (r=+0,77^*) und der Knollenanlagen pro Stengel in der Tendenz negativ (r= −0,39). Die signifikanten Jahresunterschiede in der Zahl erntef?higer Knollen (>3 cm) pro Pflanze und pro Stengel wurden in gewissem Grade durch die Zahl der angelegten Knollen (r= −0,53 bzw. +0,63), in st?rkerem Ausma? jedoch durch die jahrestypische Reduktionsrate der Knollen bestimmt (r= −0,72 bzw. −0,91^*). Diese war hoch, wenn ein Wechsel von guter Wasserversorgung w?hrend der Knollenbildung zu Wassermangelsituationen w?hrend der Knollenwachstumsphase erfolgte.

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Summary In seven years of field experiments, there were significant differences in the numbers of stems per plant and the number of harvestable tubers (>3 cm) at maturity, per plant and per stem, averaged for two cultivars and three seed treatments (Table 1). There was only a weakly positive correlation between the typical stem number for each year and the number of harvestable tubers per plant (r= +0.2, Table 2), whilst the correlation with the number of tubers initiated was much closer (r= +0.77^*, Table 2). The negative influence of number of stems on number of tubers per stem is shown byr= −0.39 and −0.47 (Table 2). Identical stem populations in the wet, cold spring of 1987, and the warm, dry season of 1983 initiated fewer tubers per stem than in 1989 with its average temperatures and modest precipitation (Table 1). Tuber set per plant and per stem correlated positively with the number of harvested tubers per plant and per stem (r= +0.53 and +0.63) and accounted for some of the yearly variation. A much stronger effect on the number of harvestable tubers came from the annual reduction of tubers (r= −0.72 and −0.91^*, Table 2). This was high if the availability of water deteriorated in the period of growth succeeding tuber formation (Table 1, Fig. 1). The same applied to the seed treatments planted at different stages of development. Tuber development occurred earlier with chitted seed, often at times when there was an adequate water supply. A large number of tubers were initiated and these were in large part reduced in the short dry spells which followed (Figs 2 and 4). Irrigation programmes must take account of this relationship.

     

Microorganism repair after UV-disinfection of secondary-level effluent for agricultural irrigation

A pilot study of microorganism repair after UV disinfection was performed for agricultural reuse of secondary-level effluent in paddy rice fields in Korea. Effluent from the bio-filter of a 16-unit apartment was used in a flow-through type UV-disinfection system. The average concentration of suspended solids (SS) and biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) were 3.4 and 5.9 mg L⁻¹, respectively. The mean total coliform level was in the range of 1.5 × 10⁴ MPN 100 mL⁻¹. Photoreactivation and dark repair were apparent at a low UV dose (6 mW s cm⁻²). In low-dose UV disinfection, microorganisms increased within 12 h by approximately 5 and 1% due to photoreactivation and dark repair, respectively. This increase was not significant at a high UV dose (16 mW s cm⁻²). The repaired microorganisms were further inactivated, rather than reactivated, by solar irradiation, and numbers decreased to non-detectible levels after 4 h of exposure to solar irradiation. Based on UV disinfection and repair studies, a UV dose of 30 mW s cm⁻² is recommended as sufficient to produce reclaimed water virtually free of pathogens and may be adequate for disinfection of secondary effluent for agricultural irrigation in paddy rice culture.     

Plant regeneration from tuber discs of potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) using 6-benzylaminopurine (BAP)

Summary Shoots, roots and callus were formed from tuber discs of potato, cultivar Désirée, when grown in vitro on the basal medium of Murashige & Skoog (1962) (MS) supplemented with 2,4-D and/or BAP. Callus was formed in MS medium with 1 mg l⁻¹ BAP plus 0.5 mg l⁻¹ 2,4-D, callus and roots were formed in MS with 1 mg l⁻¹ BAP plus more than 0.5 mg l⁻¹ 2,4-D and shoots were formed directly on tuber discs cultured on MS medium with 1 mg l⁻¹ BAP without the addition of 2,4-D. Nodules produced at the explant surface after the 4th week increased in size following subculture onto the same medium (MS+BAP alone), and 2 to 6 shoots developed from each nodule. After 9 weeks total time in culture, these shoots were excised and transferred as cuttings to MS medium without growth regulators, after which roots developed and plantlets were formed. A histological study of the explants at the sites of nodule formation indicated that the shoots developed from meristematic zones initiated within small outgrowths of tissue similar to those occuring in adventive organogenesis but the presence of shoot and root meristems associated with the same axis suggests the formation of somatic embryos.     

Potato tuber sugars, starch and organic acids in relation to ozone exposure

Summary Data from two Swedish and one Finnish open-top chamber experiments were combined to investigate effects of ozone exposure on potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) tuber content of starch, sucrose, fructose, glucose, malic, citric and ascorbic acids. The glucose, fructose and malic acid concentrations showed strong negative correlations with ozone exposure, while citric acid, consistently increased with ozone exposure. No ozone effects could be demonstrated on starch, sucrose or ascorbic acid concentrations. It is discussed to what extent the changes found in potato tuber composition can be explained in terms of ozone effects on tuber maturity. Ozone exposure was expressed as the accumulated exposure over a cut-off concentration of 40 nmol mol⁻¹ (AOT40) and as the accumulated uptake of ozone over an ozone uptake rate threshold of 7 nmol m⁻² s⁻¹ (CUO 7). The difference in ability of the exposure indices to explain observed effects was small.     

Beziehungen zwischen Stengel- und Knollenzahl bei der Kartoffel in Abhängigkeit von wichtigen Einflußfaktoren. I. Der Einfluß der Pflanzgutvorbehandlung und der Sorte

Zusammenfassung Die Pflanzgutvorbehandlung beeinflu?te die Stengelzahl signifikant. Abgekeimtes Pflanzgut der Sorten ‘Adretta’ und ‘Mariella’ entwickelte weniger Stengel und Knollen pro Pflanze jedoch mehr Knollen pro Stengel als vorgekeimtes und keimgestimmtes Pflanzgut. Die st?rker negativen Korrelationen zwischen Stengelzahl pro Pflanze und Knollenzahl pro Stengel sowie die h?here Reduktionsrate der angelegten Knollen bei der Sorte ‘Adretta’ weisen auf Sortenunterschiede in der Sch?rfe der Konkurrenz zwischen den Stengeln und innerhalb der Knollenanlagen eines Stengels hin. Die Ernteknollenzahl wurde bei ‘Mariella’ wesentlich durch die Zahl der Knollenanlagen, bei ‘Adretta’ hingegen st?rker durch die Reduktionsrate bestimmt.

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Summary Three different seed treatments and two cultivars were studied over seven years of field experiments (Table 1). Differences were detected between the cultivars in all characteristics studied: numbers of stems, maximum number of tubers (tuber initials), the number of harvestable tubers (>3 cm) at maturity per plant and per stem, and tuber reduction (percentage of initiated tubers that did not develop). Apart from the number of harvestable tubers, there were also differences between seed treatments (Tables 2, 3 and 4). Chitted seed of ‘Mariella’ and sprouted seed of ‘Adretta’ gave the greatest number of tubers per plant (Tables 3 and 4). In both cases desprouting reduced the numbers of stems and tubers per plant but increased the number of harvestable tubers per stem. Chitted seed set the most tubers per plant and per stem but had the highest levels of tuber reduction (Table 4). Due to intra- and inter-stem competition in both cultivars the percentage tuber reduction is significantly correlated with the number of tuber initials (maximum tuber number, Table 5). Smaller numbers of tubers per stem (Table 3) and significantly negative correlations between the number of stems and the maximum and harvestable number of tubers per stem (Table 5) highlight the effect of strong inter-stem competition in ‘Adretta’. Moreover, in this cultivar intra-stem competition seems to play an important role too. The rate of tuber reduction was significantly higher than in ‘Mariella’ (Table 3), and the final number of tubers significantly depended on the percentage of tuber reduction during the period of tuber growth (r=0,57^*, Table 5). In contrast, the number of harvestable tubers per plant in ‘Mariella’ was significantly correlated with the maximum tuber number during the period of tuber set (r=0,61^*, Table 5).

     

Treatment of seed potatoes with prochloraz for simultaneous control of silver scurf and black dot on progeny tubers

Summary Potato seed tubers infected withHelminthosporium solani andColletotrichum coccodes were treated with prochloraz (as Omega 450 g a.i. l⁻¹ EC) and/or prochloraz managanese chloride (as Octave 25 g/kg DP), and planted in two separate fields not previously cultivated with potatoes. Dipping seed 28 d prior to planting in 2,4 or 6 g a.i. l⁻¹ Omega, and dusting with 500 or 750 g Octave per 100 kg seed significantly reduced the incidence of silver scurf and black dot on progeny tubers. In one field, the higher concentrations of Omega and Octave gave slightly better control than the lower Omega concentrations. At the second site, postharvest application of 4 g a.i. l⁻¹ Omega or 750 g Octave per 100 kg seed limited development of both diseases on progeny tubers, with slightly better control when an additional Octave dusting was applied 14 d before planting. None of the prochloraz treatments adversely affected plant stand or tuber yield.     

Amylase activity in potato tubers

Summary Amylase activity in extracts of sprouted tubers was optimised at final concentrations of soluble starch in the incubation medium of 0.6–2.0 mg cm⁻³. Optimum pH was 6. The exclusion of calcium ions from extraction and incubation media did not result in reduced enzyme activity. This, together with a shift in the absorption maximum of the starch-iodine complex almost identical to that observed with pure β-amylase, indicates the predominance of β-amylase in the extracts. Over a 15-min incubation period the linearity of the response was dependent upon the volume of tuber extract included in the assay medium. Gel filtration of extracts did not influence this response.     

The effects of nitrogen supply and stem density on leaf attributes and stem branching in potato (Solanum tuberosum L.)

Summary The interaction between nitrogen supply and stem density on leaf attributes and branching was studied in two field experiments. Stem densities included 8, 16, 24, 32 and 40 stems m⁻². The low-N treatments received 5 or 10 g m⁻² nitrogen, and the high-N treatments 20 or 25 g m⁻². The sizes of mature individual leaves on the main stem declined with increase in stem density and were larger for greater N supply, with additive effects of nitrogen and stem density. The specific leaf area was not affected by nitrogen supply and increased with stem density (range of values: 210 to 310 cm² g⁻¹). The leaf weight ratio was not affected by the treatments. At 8 and 16 stems m⁻² basal branches contributed substantially to the total leaf area per stem: at 24 stems m⁻² and higher densities the development of basal branches was negligible. Leaf area on apical branches was always smaller for higher plant densities and lower rates of N supply.     

The influence of thermal stabilization stage on the molecular structure of polyacrylonitrile fibers prior to the carbonization stage

Structural transformation from a linear chain structure to crosslinked chain structure, occuring during the thermal stabilization stage of carbon fiber manufacture, was followed through the use of infrared spectroscopy, differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), elemental analysis and gel-fraction measurements. The results obtained from the analysis of IR spectroscopy showed the gradual and continuous loss of intensity of the nitrile (C≡N) vibration at 2242 cm⁻¹ closely associated with the cyclization reactions whereas the intensity loss of the methylene (CH₂) groups vibration around 2920–2939 cm⁻¹ has been attributed to the loss of hydrogen atoms as part of the dehydrogenation reactions. The dehydrogenation index, evaluated using the absorbance ratio of A₁₄₅₂/A₁₃₆₈, also indicated the gradual loss of hydrogens in agreement with decreasing hydrogen content with progressing stabilization process. IR spectroscopy also showed the emergence of new absorption bands attributed to the formation of crosslinked ladder-like structure in the 1590–1600 cm⁻¹ region. The amount of newly formed crosslinked structure was characterized using DSC conversion index, IR conversion index and gel-fraction measurements. The results are compared and discussed in detail.     

Light and genotype effects on in vitro tuberization of potato plantlets

Summary In vitro tuberization responses of eleven clones of potato were evaluated under different photoperiods and light intensities. No growth regulators were added to the medium to avoid the potential modification of the response to the environmental stimuli. Plantlets were grown on MS medium containing 3% sucrose for four weeks under long days (16 h). Tuberization was induced by short days (8 h). Five photoperiodic combinations and three light intensity treatments were applied. Light applied after the tuber induction phase delayed or inhibited tuber initiation (at proper photoperiods both at 111 and 55 μmol m⁻² s⁻¹ light intensities at 24/15 °C day/night temperature). Darkness following the induction stage accelerated and synchronized tuber initiation after high light intensity. However, these effects of dark treatment depended on light intensity applied in short days before dark treatment. There was an interaction between the duration of darkness applied in photoperiodic treatments and the light intensity applied in short days on tuber initiation. No relationship was observed between the maturity groups of clones tested and their tuber initiation responses. Tight interaction (P≤0.01) of treatments and clones was proved by statistical analysis. Reliable tuberization and high rate of tuberization (1.20–1.52) can be reached using these hormon-free systems.     

Forced-draught ventilation with cold,outside air compared with recirculation of artificially cooled air

Summary Cool storage of potatoes by intermittent outside air cooling (OAC) was compared with cooling by continuous recirculation of artificially cooled air (RAA). RAA gave higher operating costs and greater shrinkage losses than OAC, using the same rate of ventilation (64 m³ h⁻¹ m⁻³ potatoes), but allowed easier management and gave even storage temperatures. The prime advantage of RAA is the provision of safe storage beyond late-April when, owing to lack of cold, outside air at 0–3°C, it is no longer possible to operate OAC effectively. Edinburgh School of Agriculture Miscellaneous Publication No. 522     

Prevention of berry set and true seed production in six potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) cultivars by single foliar applications of MCPA

Summary True potato seed production may contribute to the spread of several diseases and pests. MCPA (500 or 750 g a.i. ha⁻¹) applied at early or full bud stage reduced berry number and seed number per berry, resulting in reduced true seed production. Effects on berry set differed between cultivars and were dependent on crop growth stage at application and true seed production was reduced most strongly in all cultivars with application at full bud stage. MCPA also slightly reduced yield and tuber size, but did not affect tuber dry matter content or fry colour.     

Surface and subsurface losses of N and P from salt-affected rice paddy fields of Saemangeum reclaimed land in South Korea

The present study was carried out to evaluate nutrient losses that occur during the course of agricultural activity from rice paddy fields of reclaimed tidal flat. For this study, we chose a salt-affected rice paddy field located in the Saemangeum reclaimed tidal area, which is located on the western South Korean coasts. The plot size was 1,000 m² (40 m × 25 m) with three replicates. The soil belonged to the Gwanghwal series, i.e., it was of the coarse silty, mixed, mesic type of Typic Haplaquents (saline alluvial soil). The input quantities of nitrogen and phosphorus (as chemical fertilizer) into the experimental rice paddy field were 200 kg N ha⁻¹ and 51 kg P₂O₅ ha⁻¹ per annum, and the respective input quantities of each due to precipitation were 9.3–12.9 kg N ha⁻¹ and 0.4–0.7 kg P ha⁻¹ per annum. In terms of irrigation water, these input quantities were 4.5–8.2 kg N ha⁻¹ and 0.3–0.9 kg P ha⁻¹ per annum, respectively. Losses of these nutrients due to surface runoff were 22.5–38.1 kg N ha⁻¹ and 0.7–2.2 kg P ha⁻¹ for the year 2003, and 26.8–29.6 kg N ha⁻¹ and 1.6–1.9 kg P ha⁻¹ for the year 2004, respectively. Losses of these nutrients due to subsurface infiltration during the irrigation period were 0.44–0.67 kg N ha⁻¹ and 0.03–0.04 kg P ha⁻¹ for the year 2003, and 0.15–0.16 kg N ha⁻¹ and 0.05–0.06 kg P ha⁻¹ for 2004. When losses of nitrogen and phosphorus were compared to the amount of nutrients supplied by chemical fertilizers, it was found that 11.3–19.1% of nitrogen and 0.5–1.7% of phosphorus were lost via surface runoff, whereas subsurface losses accounted to 0.2–0.8% for nitrogen and only 0.02–0.04% for phosphorus during the 2-year study period.     

Effect of two plant growth regulators on the yield and quality of russet burbank potatoes

Summary Foliar applications of ethephon (ETH) 300 g a.i. ha⁻¹; chlormequat chloride (CCC) 920 g a.i. ha⁻¹, with a second application of 230 g a.i. ha⁻¹ approximately 2 weeks later; and a mixture of the two (ETH/CCC) 156 g a.i. ethephon and 299 g a.i. chlormequat chloride ha⁻¹ were made to field-grown Russet Burbank potatoes in 1986, 1987 and 1989. All the treatments increased the number of tubers set and reduced the average tuber weight compared to the control resulting in a reduction in premium and marketable tubers, and an increase in small tubers. Differences were greatest for ETH and least for CCC. ETH and ETH/CCC decreased the specific gravity, increased the incidence of deformities, and decreased the incidence of tubers with hollow heart. The growth regulators did not affect fry colour.