Abstract
The cultivar, Bondi, was selected from a cross between Ranger Russet (maternal parent) and Karaka and is currently being evaluated as a frozen processing cultivar. Relative to Ranger, Bondi produces vigorous foliar growth, low tuber set and high yields of large tubers that frequently exceed optimum size for seed and processing markets. We evaluated the relative efficacies of gibberellin (GA), cytokinin (benzyladenine (BA)) and seed aging for altering apical dominance, tuber set and size distribution of these genetically related cultivars. GA applied to cut seed prior to planting hastened emergence, reduced apical dominance, increased tuber set and decreased average tuber size; however, the optimal concentration to maximally shift tuber size distribution without decreasing marketable yield was 4–5-fold greater for Bondi than Ranger. BA marginally hastened plant emergence (Bondi) and decreased apical dominance (both cultivars) only when combined with GA, but had no further effects on tuber set, yields or tuber size distributions in either cultivar. Age-priming Ranger seed for 700 degree days (DD) at 32 °C during storage shifted the tuber size distribution to a much greater extent than 2 mg L−1 GA (optimal concentration) without reducing marketable yield. The combined age and GA treatment resulted in no further shift in size distribution for Ranger beyond that induced by the 700-DD treatment alone, but reduced the marketable yield by 9.6 MT ha−1. In contrast to GA, the mechanism by which age-priming altered tuber size distribution in Ranger could not be explained by effects on stem number/tuber set relationships alone. Bondi, however, exhibited an even greater shift toward smaller tubers with no reduction in yield with the combined 700-DD/GA (2 mg L−1) treatment, reflecting its decreased sensitivity to GA. Moreover, the shift in tuber size distribution induced by aging Bondi seed for 700 DD was approximately equal to that observed by treating seed with 8 mg L−1 GA (optimal concentration). The reduced sensitivity of Bondi to GA was likely inherited from its paternal parent Karaka, which displays similar morphological traits, including high yield of large tubers.
Resumen
La variedad Bondi se seleccionó de una cruza entre Ranger Russet (progenitor maternal) y Karaka, y actualmente está siendo evaluada como una variedad para procesamiento de congelación. En relación a Ranger, Bondi produce crecimiento foliar vigoroso, baja tuberización y altos rendimientos de tubérculos grandes que frecuentemente exceden el tamaño óptimo para semilla y para mercado de procesamiento. Evaluamos las eficacias relativas de giberelina (GA), citocinina (benziladenina, BA) y envejecimiento de la semilla, para la alteración de la dominancia apical, tuberización y distribución del tamaño de estas variedades relacionadas genéticamente. El GA aplicado a la semilla cortada antes de la siembra aceleró la emergencia, redujo la dominancia apical, aumentó la tuberización y disminuyó el promedio del tamaño de tubérculo; no obstante, la concentración óptima para maximizar el cambio de la distribución del tamaño del tubérculo sin disminuir el rendimiento comercial fue de 4 a 5 veces mayor para Bondi que para Ranger. La BA aceleró marginalmente la emergencia de la planta (Bondi) y disminuyó la dominancia apical (ambas variedades) solo cuando se combinó con GA, pero no tuvo efectos posteriores en tuberización, rendimientos, o distribuciones de tamaños de tubérculo en las dos variedades. La semilla de Ranger estimulada por la edad por 700 grados-día (DD) a 32° C durante el almacenamiento cambió la distribución del tamaño del tubérculo en mucha mayor medida que 2 mg L−1 de GA (concentración óptima) sin reducir el rendimiento comercial. El tratamiento combinado de edad y GA resultó sin cambio posterior en la distribución del tamaño para Ranger, mas alla que el inducido por el tratamiento de 700-DD solo, pero redujo el tamaño comercial por 9.6 MT ha−1. En contraste al GA, el mecanismo por el cual la inducción por edad alteró la distribución del tamaño de tubérculo en Ranger no pudo explicarse por los efectos en las relaciones número de tallos/tuberización solamente. No obstante, Bondi exhibió un cambio aun mayor hacia tubérculos más pequeños sin reducción en el rendimiento con el tratamiento combinado 700-DD/GA (2 mg L−1), reflejando su reducción en sensibilidad al GA. Más aun, el cambio en la distribución del tamaño de tubérculo inducido por la semilla Bondi envejecida por 700-DD fue aproximadamente igual al observado tratando la semilla con 8 mg L−1 de GA (concentración óptima). La reducida sensibilidad de Bondi al GA fue probablemente heredada de su progenitor paterno Karaka, que presenta caracteres morfológicos similares, incluyendo alto rendimiento de tubérculos grandes.
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Acknowledgments
Financial support was provided by the USDA Specialty Crop Block Grant program through the Washington State Department of Agriculture, Simplot Australia Pty Ltd., and the Northwest Potato Research Consortium. We thank Jacob Blauer, Agronomy Scientist Manager, J.R. Simplot Co. and Mark Heap, Biosciences Manager, Simplot Australia Pty. Ltd. for their insight and advice during the course of this research.
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Herman, D.J., Knowles, L.O. & Knowles, N.R. Differential Sensitivity of Genetically Related Potato Cultivars to Treatments Designed to Alter Apical Dominance, Tuber Set and Size Distribution. Am. J. Potato Res. 93, 331–349 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12230-016-9507-7
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12230-016-9507-7