Reduction in vigour of leafless potato cuttings in vitro

Summary Removing the leaves from single node potato cuttings in vitro allows propagules to be placed in culture vessels at increased densities with the intent of saving resources and space. Under light intensities of 22 watts^m−2, the removal of the subtending leaf resulted in fewer nodes, shorter plantlets, smaller leaf area, and lower fresh and dry weights of 4-week-old plantlets of cvs Atlantic, Kennebec, Russet Burbank and Shepody. Fewer nodes and reduced plantlet height may result in inefficient multiplication protocols because fewer propagules are available and shorter internodes make dissection more difficult. The coefficient of variation for the various growth parameters was greater when propagules lacked leaves, indicating that the variability of the plant material for propagation was increased. A reduction of vigour and growth was still evident when plantlets of cv. Shepody were grown for 6–8 weeks.     

Interaction between jasmonic and gibberellic acids on in vitro tuberization of potato plantlets

Summary A reverse of the delaying effect of gibberellic acid (GA₃) was observed in in vitro tuberization of potato plantlets when the medium contained 0.8×10⁻⁵ M jasmonic acid (JA). The promoting effect of JA seemed to be correlated with the initial absence of growing roots, probably through direct activity of JA in microtuber-producing buds in the stoloniferous shoots. This is based on the fact that JA did not inhibit root growth a posteriori. Endogenous gibberellins (GAs) synthesized by roots did not interfere with the previous activity of JA in tuberization. The absence of a JA promoting-effect on tuberization of previously-rooted plantlets could be related to the capacity of potato roots to synthesize endogenous GAs which might antagonize the JA effect on buds of stoloniferous shoots.     

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.     

In vitro production of potato microtubers in liquid medium using temporary immersion

Summary CIRAD developed a new apparatus for plant tissue culture, using temporary immersion in a liquid medium. This apparatus was adapted to the microtuber production in potato. The procedure is as follows: single node cultivation on MS medium containing 30 g/l sucrose in the light for 2 weeks, induction of microtuberisation with 80 g/l sucrose over a 2 week period in the light, followed by a further 6 weeks in the dark. All experiments were performed at 20 °C. The basic vessel had a capacity of approximately 11;30 nodes were cultivated per vessel. Depending on the cultivars tested (Bintje, Ostara and Désirée) 47 to 115 microtubers were harvested per vessel. Between 30 and 60% of the microtubers weighted over 0.5 g and between 10 and 40% over 0.8 g. Sprouting is still under investigation. Preliminary results indicate that the dormancy period was relatively short and several stems were obtained per microtuber. These results seem to be better than those usually reported. Only one simple protocol has been tested and further improvements are probably easy to obtain.     

The effect of a seaweed concentrate on the in vitro growth and acclimatization of potato plantlets

Summary The seaweed concentrate ‘Kelpak’ is used commercially in the greenhouse and field to improve plant quality. ‘Kelpak’ was added to the in vitro culture medium of potato cv. ‘BP1’ and also applied as a leaf/soil drench immediately after transplanting. The addition of 0.25% seaweed concentrate to the medium improved plantlet quality and led to better establishment in the greenhouse. No beneficial effect of seaweed concentrate in the tissue culture medium was observed if a second cutting was part of the micropropagation process. Additional application of 0.5% seaweed concentrate in the greenhouse to plantlet cuttings derived from tissue culture was not beneficial.     

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.     

Application of Soluble Chitosan in vitro and in the Greenhouse to Increase Yield and Seed Quality of Potato Minitubers

The aim of this work was to investigate whether the application of soluble chitosan in potato micropropagation can improve microplant quality in vitro, help acclimatisation ex vitro, and increase yield and seed quality of minitubers. Potato cv. Désirée microplants were treated in vitro with soluble chitosan added to the semisolid tissue culture medium in different concentrations. Microplants were subsequently transferred to the greenhouse and sprayed with chitosan solutions or remained unsprayed. Untreated microplants were also established ex vitro and sprayed with chitosan, or left unsprayed as a control. Morphological and physiological parameters of plant growth were assessed in vitro and ex vitro. Plantlet quality was evaluated using a ranking system. Minitubers derived from greenhouse plantlets were planted in the field in subtropical conditions, and growth and yield parameters evaluated. The chitosan concentration most beneficial to the in vitro growth of microplants varied between years. In treatments with the best in vitro growth, minituber number and yield in the greenhouse was also increased. Foliar chitosan application at the acclimatisation phase stabilised the effect of in vitro treatment on yield parameters. The seed quality of minitubers derived from chitosan treatments in vitro alone and in combination with foliar treatment at acclimatisation was improved, giving rise to field plants with increased tuber numbers and yields. The combination of chitosan in vitro and foliar application during the acclimatisation phase ex vitro had a greater effect on minituber seed quality than the concentration applied in vitro.     

Large scale commercial production of potato minitubers, using in vitro techniques

Summary Large scale, commercial production of potato minitubers, cvs Spunta, Jaerla and Kennebec, has been carried out in VITRO HELLAS S.A. since 1995, according to protocols based on in vitro methods. Apical meristems were cultured on MS medium supplemented with 1 μM IBA, 20 g/l sucrose and 6 g/l agar (pH 5.8). Subculture was carried out every 15 days. Multiplication rate was 4–5 per cycle. Self-rooted microplants were transferred into screen houses (200 plants/m²) in a mixture of peat and perlite 1∶1 (v/v). Cultivation period was 15 August to 15 November each year. During the period 1995–1997, the number of minitubers produced/plant was 2.07 for cv. Spunta, 1.85 for cv. Jaerla and 2.52 for cv. Kennebec and their average weights were 10.8 g, 10.9 g and 9.8 g, respectively. The percentage of minitubers<10 mm in diameter was 2%, 50.1% were 10–20 mm and 47.9% were>20 mm.     

Effect of inorganic nitrogen nutrition on cytokinin-induced potato microtuber production in vitro

Summary The effect of inorganic nitrogen nutrition on the induction and development of microtubers by cytokinin-induced tuberization was studied in four potato genotypes belonging to different maturity groups. The objective of this study was to investigate whether a reduction in total nitrogen level in the Murashige & Skoog medium would improve cytokinin-induced tuberization rate. The effect of three levels of total nitrogen (15, 30 and 45 meq) on tuberization was studied at constant (20 meq K) and varying potassium levels approximating to 5, 10 and 15 meq. Reducing the total nitrogen supply increased the number but decreased the size of nitrogen level on the rate of assimilate partitioning (harvest index) during cytokinin-induced microtuberization.     

The effect of boron on calcium uptake and growth in micropropagated potato plantlets

Summary Boron (B) requirements differ widely among plant species and the concentration range between toxicity and deficiency is less for B than for any other nutrient. Excess B can adversely affect calcium (Ca) uptake and plant growth. Potato cvs Bintje and Norland plantlets were micropropagated on Murashige & Skoog (MS) nutrient medium, supplemented with 3 (MS control level) or 9 mM Ca, and a range of H₃BO₃ levels (0.025 to 0.300 mM B). Medium B levels of 0.100 and 0.300 mM decreased Ca content in leaves and shoots of cv. Norland, but not Bintje. Medium B level of 0.025 mM, which is 25% of the control MS level, enhanced Ca uptake in cv. Norland and did not compromise normal plantlet growth in either cultivar. This lower H₃BO₃ level (0.025 mM B), and a B-free gelling agent such as Gelrite, could be used for micropropagation of potato and possibly other species susceptible to Ca defifiency disorders.     

Potato production from true potato seed (TPS) in Egypt: Effect of the growing season on seedling development,recovery from transplanting and yield

Summary Ware potatoes were produced from true potato seed by transplanting seedlings to the field in different growing periods to evaluate environmental constraints of this production method in the Nile delta. In the autumn season, with high temperatures and long-day conditions during seedling culture in the nursery and transplant establishment in the field, seedling development was fast, and transplants resumed growth within 5 days of transplanting in the field. Tuber yields ranged between 120 and 160 dt ha⁻¹. In the spring season, with low temperatures and short-day conditions during the initial growing phase, seedling development in the nursery was slow and biomass partitioning between above ground organs (stems, leaves) and tubers was shifted towards the tubers. This partitioning was further enhanced by transplanting the seedlings in the field. Seedlings recovered only slowly from transplanting or died. It is concluded that potato production via transplants is poor in the spring season when premature tuberization of seedlings in the nursery leads to slow field establishment and low tuber yield.     

The effectiveness of using a minituber crop for selection of agronomic characters in potato breeding programmes

Summary Performance of 20 potato genotypes was studied for seven agronomic characters in crops raised from minitubers and normal seed tubers. Correlation coefficients were computed between minituber crop and normal seed crop in order to study the selection efficiency at minituber crop level. The performance of normal seed crop was significantly better than the minituber crop for various characters including tuber yield and its components. Correlation coefficients between minituber and normal seed crop were significant for various characters except number of stems and number of tubers. Highest correlation coefficient (r=0.86) was for tuber yield followed by average tuber weight (r=0.67) and number of nodes (r=0.63). The results suggest that selection for tuber yield can be practised at the minituber crop level in potato breeding programmes     

Effect of gibberellic acid and multiple harvests on production and reproductive value of seed potatoes produced above ground on stem cuttings

Summary Potato plants of cvs Eersteling and Bintje were grown from stem cuttings and induced to form aerial tubers for use as seed. Spraying the plants with gibberellic acid in concentrations of 10, 25 and 50 mg/l to induce stolon formation in the leaf axils led to a decrease in the number of tubers formed per plant. Multiple harvesting of the largest tubers from plants treated with gibberellic acid or not, approximately doubled the number of tubers formed but halved their individual weight compared with only one harvest at plant senescence. After a storage period of about 1 year, with their vigour declining, the aerial tubers were planted in the field. Aerial seed tubers taken from multiple harvests during the previous year produced the same number of tubers as plants grown from above-ground tubers harvested at plant senescence only, but the tuber yields declined with earlier harvesting when small (5–13 mm) aerial tubers were used, compared to larger (14–19 mm) tubers.     

Production of above-ground seed tubers on stem cuttings from eight potato cultivars

Summary The formation of above-ground tubers on stem cuttings of eight potato cultivars was studied over three seasons. To promote tuber formation in the leaf axils, stems grown from single node cuttings were exposed to short day conditions. Tuber formation underground was reduced by covering the soil with a plastic sheet and by using single node cuttings planted with the leaf axils several centimetres above the soil surface. With all cultivars except Alpha, which produced mis-shapen tubers in all experiments, an average of 11 (maximum 40) tubers per cutting were harvested. Significant cultivar × year interactions were observed.     

Potato micropropagation: Growth of cultivars in solid and liquid media

Summary The effect of liquid and solid media on the growth of micropropagated potato shoots (cvs Spunta, Kennebec and Huinkul) was studied in relation to the availability of nutrients and water in the culture medium. Nitrogen and sugar assimilation in the shoot and the water content of the shoots were evaluated. The water content of the plant tissues was not affected by the physical state of the medium. The liquid medium caused a greater accumulation of dry matter in the shoot without changing assimilate partition. The liquid medium increased shoot growth without affecting the number of nodes. The higher growth rate of shoots in liquid medium was correlated with increases in their organic nitrogen and sugar contents, indicating that nutrient assimilation was favoured in liquid media.     

Fortieth volume of Potato Research: a selective history

Summary Potato Research started as the “European Potato Journal”, the official journal of the European Association for Potato Research, in 1958, was re-named “Potato Research” in 1970 (Volume 13) and has published mainly original scientific contributions in 39 volumes. The authorship has become increasingly international and currently writes predominantly in English, although papers are also offered in German or French. Topics covered have seen clear changes over volumes, mainly reflecting trends and break-throughs in (potato) science.     

Tuberization in potato at high temperatures: Responses to exogenous gibberellin,cytokinin and ethylene

Summary In potato (Solanum tuberosum L., cv. Sebago), benzyladenine (BA) promoted tuberization at high day/night temperatures (32°/18°C), while gibberrellic acid (GA) and chlorethylphosphonic acid (CEPA) reduced tuberization at low day/night temperatures (22°/18°C). These results are consistent with the hypothesis that temperature exerts its influence on tuber formation by altering the balance between endogenous gibberellins, cytokinins and inhibitors, but not ethylene.     

In vitro microtuberization: an evaluation of culture conditions for the production of virus-free seed potatoes

Summary A tissue culture technique is described in which nodal cuttings ofSolanum tuberosum L. are induced to form usable microtubers in order to produce high health status of the seed potato genotypes cultivated in Switzerland.     

Optimisation of a dehydration process for potato cubes using an intermediate puffing step

Summary Factors affecting the volume expansion of potato cubes during puffing in a fluidised bed were examined. It was found that puffing temperature, initial size, pre-drying time and puffing time influenced the degree of expansion of the cube during the puffing step. Blanching alone was found not to influence expansion, but in conjunction with the other factors it was found that blanched samples showed greater volume expansion than unblanched samples. The optimum conditions for maximum volume expansion were found to be; blanching for 80 s, cube size between 7.5–12.5 mm, pre-drying time of 90 min. at 90°C and a puffing time of 270s at 130°C.     

Characterization of pectic substances from two potato cultivars with different sensitivities to prewarming

Summary Potato cultivars Chieftain and Kennebec were prewarmed at 70°C for 15 min. prior to heating at 100°C for 18 min. in a water bath. Chieftain exhibited a large increase in fracturability upon treatment while Kennebec showed a smaller increase. Pectic substances of the two cultivars were sequentially extracted in water, sodium hexametaphosphate (0.5%), hydrochloric acid (0.05M, 50°C), and sodium hydroxide (0.05M, 5°C). The largest fraction isolated from both cultivars consisted of hydroxide-soluble pectic substances, and was followed by the acid-soluble fraction. Chieftain contained significantly greater amounts of the hydroxide-soluble fraction than Kennebec. Ion exchange chromatography revealed that the extracted pectic substances from the two major fractions consisted of a charged pectin chain with attached neutral sugars. Gel filtration chromatography revealed wide molecular size distributions for the isolated pectic substances. Pectic neutral sugar content for the hydroxide-soluble fraction (50% of total pectic substances) was greater for Chieftain than for Kennebec.