Skip to main content

Physiology of the Potato: New Insights into Root System and Repercussions for Crop Management

Potato Research volume 51, Article number: 333 (2008) Cite this article

Abstract

Potato roots are concentrated mostly in the plow layer up to 30 cm in soil depth. Some roots extend up to 100 cm depth and the total root length throughout the soil profile reaches about 10–20 km m−2 area. There are large differences in root mass (dry weight and length) in the plow layer between cultivars, breeding lines and wild relatives. The differences are generally stable across different environmental conditions, such as locations with different soil types, fertilizer rates and planting densities. Under favourable environmental conditions without severe shortage of water and nutrients, root mass differences between genotypes are related to maturity class: late genotypes continue root growth longer, and attain larger root mass and deeper rooting than early genotypes. Differences in root mass become clear at the start of flowering, much earlier than differences in shoot mass. Root mass is negatively correlated with early tuber bulking. However, root mass generally shows positive correlations with shoot mass and final tuber yield. Differences in root mass also exist amongst genotypes of the same maturity class. Using root mass in the plow layer and tuber yield as selection criteria, Konyu cultivars were bred in Japan. They showed significantly less reduction of leaf conductance and photosynthesis, leaf area and tuber yield than commercial cultivars under dry soil conditions. To assist breeding for root characters, new methods have been developed to assess the ability of roots to penetrate into hard soil layers using pots with paraffin-vaseline discs and the ability to absorb under low water potential in vitro. Physiological research on root characteristics contributed in the past, and will continue to do so in the future, to the development of new cultivars with high drought tolerance and to the improvement of irrigation practice.

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution.

Access options

Buy single article

Instant access to the full article PDF.

USD 39.95

Price includes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6
Fig. 7
Fig. 8
Fig. 9

References

  • Asfary AF, Wild A, Harris PM (1983) Growth, mineral nutrition and water use by potato crops. J Agric Sci 100:87–101

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Barraclough PB, Leigh RA (1984) The growth and activity of winter wheat roots in the field. The effect of sowing date and soil type on root growth of high-yielding crops. J Agric Sci 103:59–74

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bradshaw JE (1994) Quantitative genetics theory for tetrasomic inheritance. In: Bradshaw JE, Mackay GR (eds) Potato genetics. CAB International, Wallingford, pp 71–99

    Google Scholar 

  • Ekanayake IJ, Midmore DJ (1992) Genotypic variation for root pulling resistance in potato and its relationship with yield under water-deficit stress. Euphytica 61:43–53

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gardner WR (1964) Relation of root distribution to water uptake and availability. Agron J 56:41–45

    Google Scholar 

  • Gopal J, Iwama K (2007) In vitro screening of potato against water-stress mediated through sorbitol and polyethylene glycol. Plant Cell Rep 26:693–700

    PubMed  Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Gopal J, Iwama K, Jitsuyama Y (2006) Root penetration ability in paraffin-Vaseline discs as indicator of drought tolerance in potato. Jap J Crop Sci 75(Extra 1):198–199

    Google Scholar 

  • Greenwood DJ, Gerwitz A, Stone D, Barnes AB (1982) Root development of vegetable crops. Plant Soil 68:75–96

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gregory PJ, Simmonds LP (1992) Water relations and growth of potatoes. In: Harris PM (eds) The potato crop. 2nd edn. Chapman and Hall, London, pp 214–246

    Google Scholar 

  • Harris PM (1978) Water. In: Harris PM (ed) The potato crop. 2nd edn. Chapman and Hall, London, pp 244–277

    Google Scholar 

  • Iwama K (1988) The effects of fertilizer rates on dry weight, morphology, length and activity in potato root. Jap J Crop Sci 57:759–764

    Google Scholar 

  • Iwama K (1998) Development of nodal and lateral roots in potato under field conditions. J Fac Agric Hokkaido Univ 68:33–44

    Google Scholar 

  • Iwama K, Nishibe S (1989) Comparison of root characters among cultivated potatoes (Solanum tuberosum) and their wild relatives. Jap J Crop Sci 58:126–132

    Google Scholar 

  • Iwama K, Yamaguchi J (1996) Difference in root system development among crop species and genotypes. In: Ito O, Johansen C, Adu-Gyamfi JJ, Katayama K, Rao JVDKK, Rego TJ (eds) Dynamics of roots and nitrogen in cropping systems of the semi-arid tropics. Japan Intern Res Center Agric Sci, Japan, pp 173–184

  • Iwama K, Nakaseko K, Gotoh K (1977) Analysis of the root system in potato (Solanum tuberosum L.). 1. Varietal differences in root dry weight. Report of Hokkaido Branch, The Crop Science Society of Japan 17:28 (in Japanese)

  • Iwama K, Nakaseko K, Gotoh K, Nishibe S, Umemura Y (1979) Varietal differences in root system and its relationship with shoot development and tuber yield. Jap J Crop Sci 48:403–408

    Google Scholar 

  • Iwama K, Nakaseko K, Gotoh K, Nishibe S (1980) Differences between locations in root system of potato plants. Jap J Crop Sci 49:495–501

    Google Scholar 

  • Iwama K, Nakaseko K, Isoda A, Gotoh K, Nishibe S (1981a) Relations between root system and tuber yield in the hybrid population of the potato plants. Jap J Crop Sci 50:233–238

    Google Scholar 

  • Iwama K, Nakaseko K, Isoda A, Gotoh K, Nishibe S (1981b) Comparison of root systems among hybrid populations derived from different crosses in potato (Solanum tuberosum). Jap J Crop Sci 50:365–372

    Google Scholar 

  • Iwama K, Kusu Y, Nakaseko K, Gotoh K, Nishibe S (1983) Root distribution pattern in potato plants. Potato Sci 3:65–68 (in Japanese)

    Google Scholar 

  • Iwama K, Nakaseko K, Gotoh K, Nishibe S (1984) Effects of the root pruning on the growth and the yield of the potato plants. Bull Fac Education, Mie Univ (Natural Sci) 35:47–51 (in Japanese)

    Google Scholar 

  • Iwama K, Fukushima T, Yoshimura T, Nakaseko K (1993) Influence of planting density on root growth and yield in potato. Jap J Crop Sci 62:628–635

    Google Scholar 

  • Iwama K, Takata O, Ohnami M, Nakaseko K (1995) Effects of scion and stock on root growth of grafting plants between two potato varieties with different root mass. Jap J Crop Sci 64:86–92

    Google Scholar 

  • Iwama K, Hasegawa T, Nakaseko K (1999) New potato lines with high productivity and drought tolerance. In: Horie H, Geng S, Amano T, Inamura T, Shiraiwa T (eds) World food security and crop production technologies for tomorrow. Crop Science Society of Japan, Kyoto, p 189–193

    Google Scholar 

  • Iwama K, Okada Y, Horikiri G, Terauchi T, Jitsuyama Y (2005) Preliminary results for water absorption and root length in two potato cultivars with different drought tolerance. Abstract of papers and posters I. Programme and oral presentations, July 17–22, 2005, Bilbao, Basque Country, EAPR, pp 202–205

  • Kubo K, Jitsuyama Y, Iwama K, Hasegawa T, Watanabe N (2004) Genotypic difference in root penetration ability by durum wheat (Triticum turgidum L. var. durum) evaluated by a pot with paraffin-Vaseline discs. Plant Soil 262:169–177

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Kubo K, Elouafi I, Watanabe N, Nachit MM, Inagaki MN, Iwama K, Terauchi T, Jitsuyama Y (2007) Quantitative trait loci for soil-penetrating ability of roots in durum wheat. Plant Breeding 126:375–378

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kubo K, Uchino H, Jitsuyama Y, Iwama K (2008) Relationship between deep root distribution and root penetration capacity estimated by pot experiments with a paraffin and vaseline layer for landraces and recent cultivars of wheat. Plant Prod Sci 12:487–497

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lesczynski DB, Tanner CB (1976) Seasonal variation of root distribution of irrigated, field-grown Russet Burbank potato. Am Potato J 53:69–78

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mengel DB, Barber SA (1974) Development and distribution of the corn root system under field conditions. Agron J 66:341–344

    Google Scholar 

  • Morita S, Suga T, Yamazaki K (1988) The relationship between root length density and yield in rice plants. Jap J Crop Sci 57:438–443 (in Japanese)

    Google Scholar 

  • Murakami T, Yoneyama T (1988) Comparison of root length of two rice (Oryza sativa L.) varieties by using an image analyzer. Plant Soil 105:287–289

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Nakamoto T, Matsuzaki A, Shimoda K (1992) Root spatial distribution of field-grown maize and millets. Jap J Crop Sci 61:304–309

    Google Scholar 

  • Opena GB, Porter GA (1999) Soil management and supplemental irrigation effects on potato: II. Root growth. Agron J 91:426–431

    Google Scholar 

  • Parker CJ, Carr MKV, Jarvis NJ, Evans MTB, Lee VH (1989) Effects of subsoil loosening and irrigation on soil physical properties, root distribution and water uptake of potatoes (Solanum tuberosum). Soil Tillage Res 13:267–285

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Schuurman JJ, Goedewaagen MAJ (1971) Methods for the examination of root systems and roots. Center for Agricultural Publishing and Documentation, Wageningen

    Google Scholar 

  • Smit AL, Bengough AG, Engels C, Van Noordwijk M, Pellerin, Van de Geijn SC (eds) (2000) Root methods: a handbook. Springer, Berlin

  • Stalham MA, Allen EJ (2001) Effect of variety, irrigation regime and planting date on depth, rate, duration and density of root growth in the potato (Solanum tuberosum) crop. J Agric Sci 137:251–270

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Van Loon CD (1981) The effect of water stress on potato growth, development, and yield. Am Potato J 58:51–69

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Vos J, Groenwold J (1986) Root growth of potato crops on a marine-clay soil. Plant Soil 94:17–33

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Welbank PJ, Gibb MJ, Taylor PJ, Williams ED (1974) Root growth of cereal crops. Rothamsted Exp Sta, Rothamsted Rep 1973, Part 2:26–66

  • Yamaguchi J, Tanaka A (1990) Quantitative observation on the root system of various crops growing in the field. Soil Sci Plant Nutr 36:483–493

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

The author would like to thank the students and staffs for their collaboration, especially Dr. Hisashi Uchino for preparing the figures of this manuscript, and also Dr. Jai Gopal for his research collaboration and for editing the English in this manuscript.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Research Faculty of Agriculture, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, 060-8589, Japan

    K. Iwama

Authors
  1. K. Iwama
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to K. Iwama.

Additional information

Mention of commercial products in this publication is solely for the purpose of providing specific information and does not imply recommendation or endorsement by the author

Rights and permissions

Reprints and Permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Iwama, K. Physiology of the Potato: New Insights into Root System and Repercussions for Crop Management. Potato Res. 51, 333 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11540-008-9120-3

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11540-008-9120-3

Keywords

  • Breeding
  • Cultivar
  • Drought tolerance
  • Root mass
  • Solanum tuberosum
  • Tuber yield
  • Water absorption