Plant growth response from aged potato seed-tubers as affected by meristem selection and NAA

Plant growth from Russet Burbank seed-tubers of different ages was compared as affected by source of meristematic tissue (apical or basal) and NAA treatment. In controlled environment studies, single-eye seedcores from 17-mo-old seed-tubers produced twice as many shoots compared to those from 5-and 29-mo-old seed-tubers. Seed-tuber age and shoot dry weight/core were inversely related. Dry weight/shoot decreased as age increased to 17 mo and then remained unchanged from 17 to 29 mo. Apical meristems lost growth potential faster than basal meristems as age advanced. Meristem physiological age apparently depends on relative position of the buds as well as on the chronological age of the seed-tuber. NAA (10–40 mg/l) decreased the number of shoots/core, had no effect on shoot dry weight/core but increased the dry weight/shoot when applied to seedcores from 20-mo-old seed-tubers. On seedcores from 8-mo-old seed-tubers. NAA decreased the shoot dry weight (g/core, g/shoot). In field studies, NAA (100 mg/l) increased the total tuber yield of plants grown from seedpieces cut from 8-and 20-mo-old seed-tubers. These increases were manifested in age-specific effects on tuber grade. The effects of seedtuber age on plant growth and tuber yield were partially overcome by seedpiece treatment with NAA.