Influence of a single non-destructive harvest on potato plantlets grown for minituber production.

Abstract

In vitro-propagated potato cv. Ostara and Bintje plantlets were transplanted in a greenhouse at 350 plants/msuperscript 2 under tuber-inducing conditions. Plants growing undisturbed were compared with plants from which tubers >=0.3 g were removed in a single non-destructive harvest 3-8 weeks after transplanting. In undisturbed plants tuber initiation slowed down 4 weeks after transplanting, and an average of 2 tubers/plant (average weight 5 g) were harvested in 11 weeks. After a non-destructive harvest new stolons and tubers were initiated, but overall and tuber growth rates were reduced, probably as a result of the combined effects of tuber removal, root damage and deep replanting. Highest tuber numbers and lowest growth rate reductions occurred when growth was at its maximum. The highest number of tubers/plant (3.44) was achieved with non-destructive harvesting 6 weeks after transplanting, but FW/tuber decreased with delay in harvesting from 1.97 to 0.77 g. Using this non-destructive harvesting procedure >1400 and 2400 minitubers >=0.3 g (average weight 1-2 g) could be produced per msuperscript 2 within 8 and 9 weeks of transplanting by Ostara and Bintje, respectively, and would be suitable for use in large-scale seed tuber production programmes. (Abstract retrieved from CAB Abstracts by CABI’s permission)