Summary
Liquid scintillation counting (LSC) was used to screen six potato cultivars (Alpha, Bintje, Green Mountain, Kennebec, Russet Burbank, and Shepody) and two wild species(S. microdontum andS. kurtzianum) for ability to take up the tracer45Ca2+ from treatment solutions containing high (15 mM) or low (5 mM) Ca2+ levels. In vitro potato micropropagation, microtuberization, and tissue calcium content, determined by flame atomic absorption spectrophotometry (FAAS), were compared for the six cultivars when Murashige-Skoog basal medium Ca2+ level was increased from 3, to 5 or 15 mM. All aspects of growth were improved when medium Ca2+ level was 15 mM. Microtuber induction occurred earlier, leading to improved yield (19–31%), and microtuber tissue Ca2+ concentration was greater (38–226%). Cv. Bintje was the most efficient genotype at accumulating Ca2+ from treatment solutions or growth media containing high or low Ca2+ levels. It could be identified as a calcium-packer using either LSC or FAAS screening.
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Habib, A., Abdulnour, J. & Donnelly, D.J. Increased calcium availability improves potato micropropagation and microtuberization. Potato Res. 47, 139–149 (2004). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02735980
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02735980