American Potato Journal

, Volume 70, Issue 1, pp 49–59 | Cite as

Morphological changes and yield enhancement of superior potatoes by AC 243,654

  • Alexander D. Pavlista
Article
Accepted:

Abstract

AC 243,654, 1-(m)-methoxybenzyl)-3-nitroguanidine, represents a new family of plant growth regulators with cytokinin-like activity. This compound was tested at 1 and 4 kg/ha on greenhouse-grown potatoes (Solanum tuberosum L.), cultivar Superior. The treatments were applied two weeks after emergence. Morphological and yield effects of AC 243,654 were determined at 4, 7, 11, 14, 21, 42 and 70 days after treatment (DAT). Shortly after treatment, AC 243,654 stimulated plant height, branch number and stolon number. Plant weights were initially stimulated. At the final harvest, 70 DAT, the dry weight of treated plants was greater than that of the check plants; this is attributed to the anti-senescence effect of this compound on vine tissue. AC 243,654 induced tuber initiation at 14 DAT, whereas checks did not have tubers until one week later. Between 14 and 70 DAT, treated plants produced greater yield than check plants; the yield increases were primarily due to larger tubers. The yield of smaller tubers was decreased by the treatments. Although the number of larger tubers increased, total tuber number was decreased by AC 243,654. Observations on tuber number over time suggested that the check plants initiated more tubers than treated plants but most of these aborted. In treated plants, less tubers were initiated.

Additional Key Words

Nitroguanidine cytokinin like activity potato plant and tuber growth 

Compendio

El AC 243,654, 1-(m) — metoxibenzil — 3 — nitroguanidina, representa a una nueva familia de reguladores del crecimiento vegetal con actividad similar a la de la citoquinina. Este compuesto en cantidades de 1 y 4 kg/ha se aplicó a papa (Solanum tuberosum L.) del cultivar “Superior” desarrollada en condiciones de invernadero. Los tratamientos se aplicaron dos semanas después de la emergencia. Los efectos del AC 243,654 sobre la morfología y el rendimiento de las plantas, se determinaron a los 4, 7, 11, 14, 21, 42 y 70 días después de la aplicación (DDA). Poco tiempo después del tratamiento, el AC 243, 654 estimuló la altura de la planta, el número de ramas y el número de estolones. El peso de las plantas fue estimulado al comienzo. En la cosecha final a los 70 DDA, el peso seco de las plantas tratadas fue mayor que el de las plantas testigo; estos es atribuíble al efecto de antisenescencia del compuesto sobre el tejido de las ramas. El AC 243,654 estimuló el inicio de la tuberización a los 14 DDA, mientras que los testigos no mostraron tubérculos sino hasta una semana más tarde. Entre los 14 y los 70 DDA, las plantas tratadas tuvieron un rendimiento mayor que el de las plantas testigo; el incremento en el rendimiento se debió principalmente a tubérculos más grandes. La production de tubérculos más pequeños disminuyó por el tratamiento. Aunque aumento el número de tubérculos grandes, el número total de tubérculos disminuyó por acción del AC 243,654. Las observaciones sobre el número de tubérculos a través del tiempo, sugieren que las plantas testigo iniciaron mayor número de tubérculos que las plantas tratadas, pero que la mayoría de ellas abortaron. En las plantas tratadas se iniciaron menos tubérculos.

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Copyright information

© Springer 1993

Authors and Affiliations

  • Alexander D. Pavlista
    • 1
  1. 1.Panhandle Research and Extension Ctr.University of NebraskaScottsbluff

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