Certified Sebego seed stocks and seed piece treatments

The effects of several certified Sebago seed stocks on potato stands and yields were studied in 1969 and 1970 with a USDA maintenance stock used as a control. Seed piece treatments —(i) nontreated stem-end, (ii) nontreated bud-end, and (iii) Polyram®-treated bud-ends —were incorporated into the 1970 test. Large differences among certified seed stocks and seed piece treatment for stands and yields were obtained due to the bacterial seed piece decay and/or black leg disease caused byErwinia carotovora (Jones) Holland. Yields of the USDA maintenance stock were significantly superior to three and seven of the certified stocks compared in 1969 and 1970, respectively. While treatment of seed from vigorous stocks did not significantly increase yields, treatment of seed from less vigorous stocks did result in significantly greater yields. In the nontreated, less vigorous seed, there was a tendency for the bud-end seed to produce greater yield than the stem-end.