Morphological changes in tuber buds during dormancy and initial sprout growth of seed potatoes

Summary Potato tuber dormancy is usually defined as lasting from tuber initiation until a sprout of 2 mm long has been formed under storage conditions optimal for sprouting. We tried to find out whether there is a period during which buds of seed tubers do not grow and whether different batches of seed take the same time to grow sprouts 2 mm long. We measured changes in number of leaf primordia and length of tuber buds of cvs Diamant and Désirée over two years. After early haulm pulling, buds did not grow for at least 60 days (‘Diamant’) or 95 days (‘Désirée’). Buds in both cultivars and two tuber weights of ‘Diamant’ took about 20 days from the estimated onset of sprouting to grow 2 mm long. We question whether this period is always similar and thus whether the moment sprouts 2 mm long have formed is a good criterion for the end of dormancy.     

Manipulation of microtubers for direct field utilization in seed production

A two-year field study was conducted to determine the effects of jasmonic acid (JA), light (duringin vitro explant production andin vitro tuberization phases), and dormancy-breaking treatment on performance of microtubers in the production of seed tubers (pre-elite) in five potato cultivars. Microtubers were produced under short day (8-h) conditions and in darkness, from stock plantlets pre-treated with JA and untreated, and on tuberization media with or without JA. Microtuber performance was compared to invitro plantlets transplanted directly to the field. Yields of tubers from microtubers were 30% to 40% of those from plantlets. Microtubers of cultivars Amisk and Russet Burbank produced the highest yields of pre-elite tubers. Atlantic microtubers performed poorly in the field. JA pre-treatment of stock plantlets, prior toin vitro tuberization, enhanced seeds tuber production from microtubers in Russet Burbank and lowered in Shepody. JA presence in media duringin vitro tuberization significantly lowered production of tubers while exposure to 8-h light resulted in microtubers performing significantly better in the field than microtubers produced in the dark. Dormancy release was the key factor influencing microtuber performance. Unlike greenhouse studies, gibberellic acid (GA₃) was more effective than Rindite. A further refinement of the production and handling methods is required before microtubers can be recommended for field production of seed tubers.     

In vitro induction of potato tuberization by organic acids

Summary Potato microtubers are usually induced in media containing growth regulatory, typically cytokinins and growth retardants. However, since these substances may imbalance the physiology of the cultured explants and cause adverse carry-over effects on the subsequent performance of the microtubers, the potential acid-induction of in vitro-mass tuberization was investigated as an alternative. For this purpose, a range of explant types (stolons, single-node or apex-containing multinodal sections), organic acids (acetic, propionic, ascorbic, acetylsalicylic or salicylic acid), and photoperiods (continuous dark, 8 or 16 h photoperiod) were established. Gellified medium or raft membranes on liquid medium were also tested. Although variations due to explant type, photoperiod, organic acid supplemented, and medium type were found, all organic acids tested under the different experiments caused tuberization. Multiple tuber formation or bigger tubers did not develop on multinodal explants. In terms of tuberization rate and mean tuber weight, gellified medium performed better than liquid medium with rafts. The recently established role of the salicylic and acetylsalicylic acids on tuberization is corroborated by our system. The results with the acetic, propionic and ascorbic acids show that in vitro hormone-free tuberization can be easily and rapidly achieved.     

Effect of Rindite on storage behavior, dormancy break and sprout growth of potato microtubers (cv. Desiree)

Freshly harvested microtubers produced by Wye and CIP methods were treated with Rindite and then stored at 6 C under continuous light or in dark. After 12 weeks, storage behavior, dormancy break and subsequent sprout growth were assessed. Increased period of Rindite treatment and storage in light caused significant weight loss of microtubers. Greater weight loss was recorded from International Potato Center (CIP) microtubers and those stored in the light versus in the dark. Wye microtubers treated with Rindite for 48 hours and stored under light tended to have more microtubers with 2 or 3 sprouts per microtuber than single sprouts. Fresh weight of sprouts was also greater in Wye microtubers when treated with Rindite for 48 hours and stored under light. Longest sprout length increased with increased duration of Rindite treatment.     

Jasmonate effect on in vitro tuberization of potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) cultivars under light and dark conditions

Summary Effects of jasmonic acid (JA) on in vitro tuberization of six potato cultivars were examined. Tuberization was carried out in the dark, or with 8 h photoperiod on MS media with vitamins, 8% sucrose, 0.6% agar and either 2.5 μM JA (JAMed) or no JA using explants either preconditioned with 2.5 μM JA (JAPret) or not. Cultivars Amisk, Russet Burbank, Sangre and Umatilla Russet produced the most (1.0–1.7) and the largest microtubers per explant. Tuberization was inconsistent in Shepody and poor in Atlantic. All cultivars tuberized significantly better in 8 h than in the dark. JA effects were cultivar specific and larger in the dark than in light. In the dark, Amisk, Atlantic and Umatila Russet tuberized better in JAMed than in JAPret. These cultivars did not benefit from JA treatments in light. Russet Burbank and Sangre tuberized in the dark better from JAPret cuttings than on JAMed medium. JA had no effect on tuberization in Shepody. JA double treatment in light vs. control and individual JA treatments significantly reduced tuberization in Shepody and Russet Burbank.     

Use of jasmonate for conditioning of potato plantlets and microtubers in greenhouse production of minitubers

A two-year study was conducted to determine the effects of (1) jasmonic acid (JA) pre-treatment, (2) JA supplement in culture media, (3) cultivar (Amisk, Atlantic, Russet Burbank, Shepody, and Umatilla Russet), (4) light (0 h, 8 h), and (5) dormancy breaking treatment (Rindite, gibberellic acid) on greenhouse production of minitubers from microtubers andin vitro plantlets. The microtubers were produced under short day (8 h) light conditions and in darkness, from stock plantlets pre-treated with JA and untreated, and on tuberization media with or without JA.In vitro plantlets (the industry choice in nuclear seed potato production) of all five cultivars performed well, meeting the standard criteria for greenhouse production of minitubers. Production of minitubers from microtuber-derived plants of cvs Amisk, Russet Burbank, and Umatilla Russet was similar to that of plantlet-derived plants with regard to number of minitubers. Yields (weight), however, were lower than those from plantlets. Microtuber responses to JA varied with cultivar. Amisk produced the highest number of minitubers per plot from microtubers derived from JA pre-treated plantlets. Jasmonic acid-pretreated microtubers also gave significantly more minitubers in Russet Burbank and Umatilla Russet than the microtubers from other treatments. Shepody did not benefit from JA treatments and JA pre-treated Atlantic microtubers performed poorly, producing significantly lower yields of minitubers than other cultivars. Independently of cultivar, microtubers produced under 8-h photoperiod gave significantly higher yields of minitubers than microtubers produced in the dark. Dormancy release was the key factor influencing microtuber performance. Rindite proved to be a much more effective dormancy breaking treatment than gibberellin. JA conditioning of stock plants prior to tuberization is being proposed as a treatment in production of microtubers for greenhouse production of minitubers.     

Inductive and noninductive conditions on in vitro tuberisation and microtuber dormancy in potato (Solanum tuberosum subspeciestuberosum and subspeciesandigena)

Summary The effect of growth conditions (medium and photoperiod) on in vitro tuberisation and microtuber dormancy of the cv. Désirée (Solanum tuberosum subspeciestuberosum) and Imilla Negra (Solanum tuberosum subspeciesandigena) was evaluated. The short photoperiod and presence of CCC in the medium reduced the dry matter of plants as well as the size of microtubers. The two cultivars showed a difference, in favour of Désirée, in the percentage of plants having more than one tuber and in the average time of sprouting after storage. The average time of sprouting was more rapidly obtained under long days and in a medium without CCC. The CCC and short days caused the same dormancy conditions and the same K⁺ quantity in the microtubers. The microtubers mineral composition is involved in the dormancy status.     

Potato microtuber production and performance: A review

Almost half a century has passed sincein vitro tubers (microtubers) were first described in potato, but their adoption as a seed propagule has been uneven globally. Consensus is lacking regarding optimal production practices for microtubers and their relative productivity in relation to other propagules for minituber production. There is significant uncertainty regarding the utility of microtubers for evaluation of agronomic characters. However, the application of microtubers in germplasm conservation is widely accepted. Microtubers are producedin vitro in a plethora of different growing systems with varying environment, media constituents, and storage intervals. Many of the interactions between growth parametersin vitro and subsequent productivity appear to be genotype-specific. Accordingly, microtubers come in different sizes, have different dormancy requirements, and differ widely in relative growth potential and productivity. Despite these differences, there is evidence for strong analogies in growth responses between fieldgrown tubers and microtubers. The use of microtuber technology in seed tuber production, breeding programs, germplasm conservation, and research appears to have enormous potential. This review discusses microtuber production, yield and performance,in vitro screening, and germplasm storage and exchange.     

马铃薯试管结薯的光周期诱导效应研究

以马铃薯品种米拉脱毒试管苗为材料,采用6个不同的光周期处理进行试管薯诱导,以研究光周期对马铃薯试管薯的诱导效应。研究结果表明:不同暗期处理对试管薯结薯个数影响不显著,以8h和12h/d暗处理产量较高;叶绿素含量和块茎淀粉含量与暗期长短均呈负相关,α-淀粉酶活性与暗期长短均呈正相关;叶绿素含量、块茎淀粉含量与经济产量成显著的正相关。同时随着暗处理时数的延长,薯形和薯皮色均发生了显著的变化。     

Modification of potato microtuber dormancy during induction and growthin vitro orex vitro

Prolonged or highly variable dormancy can be a significant impediment to the efficient use of potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) microtubers by the seed industry. In the present study, reductions in microtuber dormancy duration were obtained in cultivars commonly used by the processing industry (Kennebec, Russet Burbank and Shepody). This was achieved by modifying microtuber induction media and applying various dormancy-release treatments after harvest, with or without prior storage. An 8 h photoperiod, instead of continuous darkness during microtuber induction and development, increased microtuber yield while reducing dormancy duration. Dormancy duration was also shortened by increased sucrose concentration during microtuber induction under an 8 h photoperiod. As sucrose was increased from 4 to 16% under an 8 h photoperiod, mean dormancy duration decreased by 86 d for Shepody, 65 d for Kennebec and 46 d for Russet Burbank. During theex vitro storage period, 24 h treatment with bromoethane vapor (from 0.22 ml liquid BE per L volume) or bromoethane vapor followed by a 3 d treatment of 60% CO₂/ 20% O₂/ 20% N₂ resulted in a rapid dormancy release of freshly harvested microtubers. These dormancy-releasing treatments significantly increased minituber yields under greenhouse conditions for all cultivars when compared to untreated controls. Increased minituber yields were also observed when dormancy release treatments were applied to microtubers after storage at 6 C for 8 weeks. The results demonstrate that microtuber dormancy duration can be manipulated during growthin vitro orex vitro. However, optimization may require cultivarspecific protocols     

Relation between growth conditions and dormancy of seed potatoes. 2. Effects of temperature

Summary In two indoor experiments under short day conditions, the effect of temperature during tuber bulking on dormancy of tubers was investigated for cvs Diamant and Désirée. Temperature treatments started after tuber initiation and lasted for 4 weeks, after which the haulm was removed. In Experiment 1, the day/night temperature regimes 18/12, 22/22, 26/18 and 32/12 °C (T18/12 etc.) were compared. In Experiment 2, three day temperatures (18, 24 and 30 °C) were combined with three night temperatures (12, 18 and 24 °C), resulting in nine treatments. The dormancy of cv. Diamant was shortest after very high day temperatures (30–32 °C), but intermediate day temperatures (22–26 °C) had no shortening effect compared to T18/12. Dormancy of cv. Désirée was not shortened, but rather tended to be prolonged by high temperatures (22–32 °C) during growth. High temperatures during growth resulted in more sprouts per tuber after dormancy had ended.     

Effects of Foliar and Tuber Sprout Suppressants on Storage of Ware Potatoes under Tropical Conditions

Potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) is an important source of dietary carbohydrate and cash income generation for farmers in the tropical highlands of Kenya. The feasibility for cold storage at the farm level is limited due to the high costs of maintaining such a facility and there is limited data on the long-term post-harvest storage and quality of tubers of tropical-adapted cultivars. Application of sprout suppressants to control premature sprouting of ware potato is an attractive proposition. The objectives of this study were to evaluate the efficacy of pre-harvest foliar applications of paclobutrazol (PBZ) and ethephon for sprout suppression on ware potato tubers in storage. Post-harvest spray applications of Isopropyl N-(3-chlorophenyl carbamate) chloropropham (CIPC) and 1,4-dimethylnaphthalene (DMN) on tubers as fog was also evaluated. Potato cultivars had varying levels of tuber dormancy. The tubers were stored at ambient temperature (23 C) and evaluated weekly for 24 weeks for percent of tubers sprouting, length of longest sprouts, tuber weight loss and assessed for dormancy for 24 weeks. Paclobutrazol prolonged tuber dormancy by 21–31 days and reduced tuber weight loss. Ethephon treatment had no effect on dormancy and tuber weight loss. Potato tubers treated with CIPC had greater sprout control than the other treatments in storage. Tuber response to DMN treatment varied among the three potato cultivars evaluated. The findings from this study imply that PBZ is effective in prolonging potato tuber dormancy for short-term basis at 23 C, while CIPC applied on tubers was effective for long term storage. Optimization of post-harvest potato storage can improve food security in the highland tropics.     

温度影响马铃薯块茎形成的研究进展

块茎是马铃薯的商品和营养繁殖器官,而温度是影响块茎形成最重要的环境因素之一.针对温度对马铃薯块茎诱导和起始、膨大和成熟生长发育阶段表型变化的影响,对光合特性、源库平衡和渗透调节物质等生理生化变化影响,对调控块茎形成的光周期、植物激素、sRNA和糖类物质通路的影响,以及马铃薯耐热性评价和遗传改良研究等方面进行了综述,以期...     

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.     

Cutting as a method of breaking dormancy in microtubers producedin vitro

Microtubers formedin vitro often undergo long periods of dormancy. A simple method of promoting sprouting is to cut the microtubers in half. The promotive effect is demonstrated over a wide range of cultivars.     

Comparative performance of potato crops raised from microtubers induced in the dark versus microtubers induced in light

Summary The performance of potato crops raised from two types of microtuber, green (induced in light-dark photoperiod) and white (induced in continuous darkness), of 18 genotypes was studied for 22 morphological and agronomic characters. Mean squares due to microtuber type, genotype and their interaction were mostly significant for various characters. Green microtubers were better than white microtubers for subsequent crop performance for most of the characters including tuber yield and general impression. This was mainly due to more eyes and shorter dormancy in green microtubers than in white microtubers. The in vitro system of microtuberization by serial culture of axillary buds in separated nodes, as used in the present study, was found to be genetically stable for the propagating material.     

Relation between growth conditions and dormancy of seed potatoes. 3. Effects of light

Summary The effects on the dormancy of progeny tubers of the timing and level of shading during plant growth were investigated in three field experiments. The tubers were harvested while immature. Shading (50–75%) the crop shortly before haulm pulling shortened dormancy by 5–7 days in two experiments. However, dormancy was hardly affected by 50% shading in one experiment, carried out in a sunny dry period. The effects of the photoperiod during tuber bulking on dormancy were studied in two indoor experiments. Plants were grown at 18/12°C (day 12h/night) and a 12 h photoperiod. Shortly after tuber initiation, the photoperiod was extended to 18 h for 4–6 weeks by photosynthetically inactive incandescent light, or kept at 12 h. The effects of the photoperiod on dormancy were up to 9 days, but differed between the cultivars and experiments. Generally, the effects on tuber dormancy of differences in growth conditions, as reported in this series of papers, were limited.     

离体培养条件下植物生长物质对马铃薯块茎形成的影响

在全黑暗诱导结薯培养条件下,培养基（MS＋8．0％蔗糖）中添加5．0BA、5．0B9、500CCC或5．0BA＋500CCC（mg／L）对诱导马铃薯（cv．Mira）试管苗或其茎段结薯所需的时间,结薯率和结薯数量没有促进作用;它们虽能略微提高试管薯的平均鲜重,但与对照比较,此影响未达到显著水平（LSD0.05）。在16h／d光周期或8h／d光周期加暗期光间断诱导结薯培养条件下,无论培养基中蔗糖含量为2．0％或8．0％,外源添加2．0NAA、2．0ABA、5．0BA、5．0B9、500CCC或5．0BA＋500CCC（mg／L）等植物生长物质均不能诱导试管苗茎段结薯（cv．I－1085）。由此表明,离体培养条件下,外源添加上述植物生长物质不是诱导马铃薯块茎形成的必需因子。对此试验结果作了比较详细的讨论。     

马铃薯试管薯的诱导和应用

试管薯与试管苗一样是马铃薯脱毒原原种薯生产的基础。研究从诱导试管薯形成的最佳接种密度、利用试管薯生产脱毒种薯和保存种质资源的优越性3个方面进行。结果表明,进行试管薯诱导时每瓶接种10个茎切段能获得较多数量和较高质量的试管薯。利用试管薯生产脱毒种薯,可以提高脱毒苗的成活率,保证了脱毒薯的产量和质量,是比较优良的生产方式。运用试管薯保存种质资源,可以减少转接次数,降低病毒病的累加机率,提高了苗源质量,是一种较为实用和保存时间长的方法。     

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.