Abstract
Maximizing tuber number and yield in an aeroponics production system is imperative to make it cost effective and to make the best use of all facilities and inputs. Manipulating the plants hormonal makeup is a strategy. GA3(GA), Calcium Nitrate(CaN) and their combination were foliarly applied several times to potato plants of cvs. Favorita and Mira during both the autumn and spring growing seasons in a semi tropical setting in Sichuan. A contrasting treatment of an anti-gibberellin(Anti) was also studied in both seasons. Significant differences in plants height, stem diameter, chlorophyll content, leaf area index, the number of stolons, the number of stolon branches and tuber production were observed among different treatments and cultivars. For the cv. Favorita, CaN + GA and GA increased tuber weight per plant by 63 and 49% in autumn and 53 and 73% in spring respectively as compared to the control(CK); tuber number per plant under CaN + GA and GA treatments increased by 90 and 85% in autumn and 35 and 52% in spring respectively. For cv. Mira, the trend was similar but not as dramatic. Tuber numbers over 1400 per square meter were harvested with cv. Mira during the spring season with the GA and CaN + GA treatments.
Resumen
La maximización del número de tubérculos y el rendimiento en un sistema de producción aeropónico es imperativo para hacerlo redituable y para hacer el mejor uso de todas las facilidades e insumos. La manipulación de la constitución hormonal es una estrategia. GA3 (GA), nitrato de calcio (CaN) y su combinación, se aplicaron foliarmente varias veces a plantas de papa de las vars. Favorita y Mira durante los ciclos de cultivo del otoño y la primavera en una instalación semi-tropical en Sichuan. También se estudió un tratamiento contrastante de una antigiberelina (Anti) en ambos ciclos. Se observaron diferencias significativas entre los tratamientos y variedades en altura de las plantas, diámetro de tallos, contenido de clorofila, índice de área foliar, número de estolones, número de ramificaciones de los estolones y producción de tubérculo. Para la variedad Favorita, CaN + GA y GA incrementaron el peso de tubérculo por planta en un 63 y 49% en el otoño, y 53 y 73% en la primavera, respectivamente, en comparación con el testigo (CK); el número de tubérculos por planta bajo los tratamientos con CaN + GA y GA aumentaron 90 y 85% en el otoño y 35 y 52% en la primavera, respectivamente. Para la variedad Mira, la tendencia fue similar, pero no tan dramática. Se cosecharon tubérculos en números superiores a 1400 por metro cuadrado de la variedad Mira durante el ciclo de cultivo de la primavera con los tratamientos GA y CaN + GA.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Balamani, V., K. Veluthambi, and B.W. Poovaiah. 1986. Effect of calcium on tuberization in potato (Solanum tuberosum L.). Plant Physiology 80: 856–858.
Bergey, D.R., R. Kandel, B.K. Tyree, M. Dutt, and S.A. Dhekney. 2014. The role of calmodulin and related in plant cell function: An ever-thickening plot. Springer Science Reviews 2: 145–159.
Buckseth, T., A.K. Sharma, K.K. Pandey, B.P. Singh, and R. Muthrual. 2016. Methods of pre-basic seed potato production with special reference to Aeroponics-a review. Scientia Horticulture 204: 79–87.
Chang, D.C., C.S. Park, S.Y. Kim, S.J. Kim, and Y.B. Lee. 2008. Physiological growth responses by nutrient interruption in Aeroponically grown potatoes. American Journal of Potato Research 85: 315–323.
Chang, D.C., I.C. Cho, J. Suh, S.J. Kim, and Y.B. Lee. 2011. Growth and yield response of three Aeroponically grown potato cultivars (Solanum tuberosum L.) to different electrical conductivities of nutrient solution. American Journal of Potato Research 88: 450–458.
Chang, D.C., C.S. Park, S.Y. Kim, and Y.B. Lee. 2012. Growth and Tuberization of hydroponically grown potatoes. Potato Research 55: 69–81.
Christie, C.B., and M.A. Nichols. 2003. Aeroponics - a production system and research tool. South Pacific Soilless Culture Conference-SPSCC 648: 185–190.
Demagante, A.L., and P. Vander Zaag. 1988. The response of potato (Solanum spp.) to photoperiod and light intensity under high temperatures. Potato Research 31: 73–83.
Ding, H.J. 2013. The calcium treatment effect on potato main constituent and Physiological & Biochemical Indicator during storage period. Yinchuan: Ningxia University.
Farran, I., and A.M. Mingo-Castel. 2006. Potato Minituber production using Aeroponics: Effect of plant density and harvesting intervals. American Journal of Potato Research 83: 47–53.
Hancock, R.D., W. Morris, L.J. Ducreux, J.A. Morris, M. Usman, S.R. Verrall, J. Fuller, C.G. Simpson, R. Zhang, P.E. Hedley, and M.A. Taylor. 2013. Physiological, biochemical and molecular responses of the potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) plant to moderately elevated temperature. Plant, Cell & Environment 37: 439–450.
Hermansen, A., D. Lu, and G. Forbes. 2012. Potato production in China and Norway: Similarities, differences and future challenges. Potato Research 55: 197–203.
Jansky, S.H., L.P. Jin, K.Y. Xie, C.H. Xie, and D.M. Spooner. 2009. Potato production and breeding in China. Potato Research 52: 57–65.
Lee, S., and M.S. Soh. 2007. How plants make and sense changes in their levels of gibberellin. Journal of Plant Biology 50: 90–97.
Li, X., B. Han, M. Xu, L. Han, Z. Zhao, H. Dong, and C. Zhang. 2014. Plant growth enhancement and associated physiological responses are Coregulated by ethylene and gibberellin in response to harpin protein Hpa1. Planta 239: 831–846.
Li, W.X., X. Zhang, Y. Shi, and W.H. Lv. 2015. Effect of exogenous calcium on potato morphological characters, physiological index, yield and quality traits. Journal of Northeast Agricultural University 46: 1–8.
Liu, X.P., Y.Y. Chen, and Z.M. Xu. 2011. Effect of foliar spraying KNO3 and Ca(NO3)2 on yield of potato. Journal of Agricultural Sciences 32: 42–44.
Lv, C.W., D.B. Tang, Z.Q. Qin, and J.C. Wang. 2006. Influence of GA3 and 6-BA on endogenesis hormones and physiological characters in potato by aeroponic culture. 2006 Crop science Society of China, potato professional board academic conference and academic symposium, 105-110.
Menzel, C.M. 1980. Tuberization in potato at high temperatures: Response to gibberellin and growth inhibitions. Annals of Botany 46: 259–265.
Menzel, C.M. 1985. Tuberization in potato at high temperatures: Responses to exogenous gibberellins, cytokinin and ethylene. Potato Research 28: 253–266.
Ninnemann, H., J.A. Zeevaart, H. Kende, and A. Lang. 1964. The plant growth retardant CCC as inhibitor of gibberellins biosynthesis in fusarium moniliforme. Planta 61: 229–235.
Oraby, H., A. Lachance, and Y. Desjardins. 2015. A low nutrient solution temperature and the application of stress treatments increase potato mini-tubers production in an Aeroponic system. American Journal of Potato Research 92: 387–397.
Palta, J.P. 2010. Improving potato tuber quality and production by targeted calcium nutrition: The discovery of tuber roots leading to a new concept in potato nutrition. Potato Research 53: 267–275.
Poovaiah, B.W., A.S.N. Reddy, and L. Feldman. 1993. Calcium and signal transduction in plants. Critical Reviews in Plant Sciences 12: 185–211.
Qin, Z.Q. 2006. Study on effect of exogenous hormones on forming mini-tubers of Aeroponics potato. Chong Qing: Southwest University.
Qin, Z.Q., and J.C. Wang. 2006. Effect of gibberellins (GA3) and methyl Jasmonate (MeJA) on endogenous hormones and development of potato in Aeroponics. Chinese Potato Journal 20: 5–11.
Rentel, M.C., and M.R. Knight. 2004. Oxidative stress-induced calcium signaling in Arabidopsis. Plant Physiology 135: 1471–1479.
Ritter, E., B. Amgulo, P. Riga, C. Heerán, J. Relloso, and M. San Jose. 2001. Comparison of hydroponic and aeroponic cultivation systems for the production of potato minitubers. Potato Research 44: 127–135.
Scott, G.J., and V. Suarez. 2012. Limits to growth or growth to limits? Trends and projections for potatoes in China and their implications for industry. Potato Research 55: 135–156.
Talukdar, D. 2012. Exogenous calcium alleviates the impact of cadmium induced oxidative stress in Lens culinaris medic. Seedlings through modulation of antioxidant enzyme activities. Journal of Crop Science and Biotechnology 15: 325–334.
Tierno, R., A. Carrasco, E. Ritter, and J.I.R. De Galarreta. 2014. Differential growth response and Minituber production of three potato cultivars under Aeroponics and greenhouse bed culture. American Journal of Potato Research 91: 346–353.
Vreugdenhil, D., and L.I. Sergeeva. 1999. Gibberellins and tuberization in potato. Potato Research 42: 471–481.
Wang, Q., and W. Zhang. 2004. China’s potato industry and potential impacts on the global market. American Journal of Potato Research 81: 101–109.
Wang, K., W. He, Y. Ai, J. Hu, K. Xie, M. Tang, Y. Wang, and P. Vander Zaag. 2017. Optimizing seed potato production by aeroponics in China. Philippine Journal of Crop Science 42: 54–59.
Wittwer, S.H., and M.J. Bukovac. 1958. The effects of gibberellins on economic crops. Economic Botany 12: 213–255.
Yu, H.Y., J.L. Qiao, Y.K. Xiao, Y.P. Zhang, and S.J. Wang. 2010. Effect analysis of calcium on cold resistance of Aeroponic potato seedlings. Transactions of the Chinese Society for Agricultural Machinery 41 (72–75): 79.
Zhang, Z.J., M.J. Jia, H.Z. Li, and W.J. Zhou. 2003. The impact of gibberellin on potato formation. Chinese Potato Journal 17: 294–297.
Zheng, S.L., L.J. Wang, N.X. Wan, L. Zhong, S.M. Zhou, W. He, and J.C. Yuan. 2016. Response of potato tuber number and spatial distribution to plant density in different growing seasons in Southwest China. Frontiers in Plant Science 7: 365–372.
Acknowledgements
We thank Sichuan Provincial 13th Five-Year Plan for the financial support to the Potato Breeding Project (2016NYZ0032). We also gratefully thank Ming-Xia Tang and Wei-Wei Jia, Sichuan Academy of Agricultural Sciences, for their technical assistance, and Xue-Li Huang, Sichuan Agricultural University, for giving helpful suggestions.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Wang, CC., Wang, XY., Wang, KX. et al. Manipulating Aeroponically Grown Potatoes with Gibberellins and Calcium Nitrate. Am. J. Potato Res. 95, 351–361 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12230-018-9635-3
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12230-018-9635-3