Summary
The seaweed concentrate ‘Kelpak’ is used commercially in the greenhouse and field to improve plant quality. ‘Kelpak’ was added to the in vitro culture medium of potato cv. ‘BP1’ and also applied as a leaf/soil drench immediately after transplanting. The addition of 0.25% seaweed concentrate to the medium improved plantlet quality and led to better establishment in the greenhouse. No beneficial effect of seaweed concentrate in the tissue culture medium was observed if a second cutting was part of the micropropagation process. Additional application of 0.5% seaweed concentrate in the greenhouse to plantlet cuttings derived from tissue culture was not beneficial.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Atzmon, N. & J. Van Staden, 1994. The effect of seaweed concentrate on the growth ofPinus pinea seedlings.New Forests 8: 279–288.
Capellades, M., R. Fontanau, C. Carulla & P. Debergh, 1990. Environment influences anatomy of stomatal and epidermal cells in tissue-culturedRosa multiflora.Journal of the American Society of Horticultural Science 115: 141–145.
Cassells, A.C., B. Kowalski, D.M. Fitzgerald & G.A. Murphy. 1998. Detection of epigenetic variation in micropropagated potato plants by leaf image analysis. EU COST meeting, Brussels, (in press).
Conner, L.N. & A.J. Conner, 1984. Comparative water loss from leaves ofSolanum laciniatum plants culturedin vitro andin vivo.Plant Science Letters 36: 241–246.
Crouch, I.J. & J. Van Staden. 1992. Effect of seaweed on the establishment and yield of greenhouse tomato plants.Journal of Applied Phycology 4: 291–296.
Crouch, I.J. & J. Van Staden, 1993. Effect of seaweed concentrate fromEcklonia maxima (Osbeck) Papenfuss onMeloidogyne incognita infestation on tomato.Journal of Applied Phycology 5: 37–43.
Crouch, I.J. & J. Van Staden, 1994. Commercial seaweed products as biostimulants in horticulture.Journal of Home & Consumer Horticulture 1: 19–76.
Crouch, I.J., M.T. Smith, J. Van Staden, M.J. Lewis & G.V. Hoad, 1992. Identification of auxins in a commercial seaweed concentrate.Journal Plant of Physiology 139: 590–594.
Grout, B.W.W. & M.J. Aston, 1977. Transplanting of cauliflower plants regenerated from meristem culture. I. Water loss and water transfer related to changes in leaf wax and to xylem regeneration.Horticultural Research 17: 1–7.
Featonby-Smith, B.C. & J. Van Staden, 1984. Identification and seasonal variation of endogenous cytokinins inEcklonia maxima (Osbeck) Papenf.Botanica Marina 17: 527–531.
Lindsey, K.L., A.K. Jäger & J. Van Staden, 1998. Influence of a seaweed concentrate on acclimatization ofin vitro grown plantlets.South African Journal of Botany 64: 262–264.
Murashige T. & F. Skoog, 1962. A revised medium for rapid growth and bio-assays with tobacco tissue cultures.Physiologia Plantarum 15: 473–497.
Sutter, E. & R.W. Langhans, 1979. Epicuticular wax formation on carnation plantlets regenerated from shoot tip culture.Journal of the American Society for Horticultural Science 104: 493–496.
Sutter, E. & R.W. Langhans, 1982. Formation of epicuticular wax and its effect on water loss in cabbage plants regenerated from shoot tip culture.Canadian Journal of Botany 60: 2896–2902.
Van Staden, J., S.J. Upfold & F.E. Drewes, 1994. Effect of seaweed concentrate on growth and development of the marigoldTagetes patula.Journal of Applied Phycology 6: 427–428.
Van Staden, J., R.P. Beckett & M.J. Rijkenberg, 1995. Effect of seaweed concentrate on the growth of the seedlings of three species ofEucalyptus.South African Journal of Botany 61: 169–172.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Kowalski, B., Jäger, A.K. & Van Staden, J. The effect of a seaweed concentrate on the in vitro growth and acclimatization of potato plantlets. Potato Res 42, 131–139 (1999). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02358403
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02358403