ISHS Acta Horticulturae 619: XXVI International Horticultural Congress: Potatoes, Healthy Food for Humanity: International Developments in Breeding, Production, Protection and Utilization
INTERGENERATIONAL EFFECTS ON SEED POTATO PHYSIOLOGICAL AGEING |
| Authors: | P.H. Brown, B. Beattie, R. Laurence |
| Keywords: | Solanum tuberosum, sprouting, vigour, haulm senescence, storage |
| Abstract:
Seed tuber physiological age is an important determinant of potato crop establishment and early performance. Crop management practices and growing climate of the previous generation(s) of seed potatoes can have a significant effect on physiological ageing. Differences in sprouting vigour of up to 400% between genetically similar seed lots produced at different locations were demonstrated. Soil type and temperature, particularly seasonal variations in night/day temperature differential, may have contributed to this result. In addition to climate and location effects, haulm killing approximately 3 weeks prior to natural haulm death resulted in improved crop yield compared to earlier haulm killing or natural haulm death. Planting density in the seed crop had no significant effect on seed performance, while planting date influenced performance but the effect was not uniform between seed lots. The result confirm earlier findings of the importance of seed production conditions in determining seed physiological condition, and indicate that timing of haulm death may be used to manipulate seed physiological quality. | |
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