Influence of bud position on the formation of tubers on multiple node cuttings of potato (Solanum tuberosum L.)

Summary Stem cuttings with variable number and position of leaves and variable number and age of buds were used to study the preference of tuberization at certain buds when several potential tuber sites were present. These cuttings were exposed to different orientations of the cuttings themselves and/or their light source. Inverting the cuttings did not affect overall tuberization, but had significant effects on individual buds, probably by the interaction between the original basipetal patterns in the cuttings and gravity effects. A smaller angle to the horizontal and lighting from below increased the overall expression of the tuberization stimulus. Leaf and bud position or age affected expression in a complicated manner, but the distance between screened bud and light-exposed leaf was crucial; buds most distant from illuminated leaves showed the strongest induction. The basic pattern of tuberization was basipetal.