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Gibberellic Acid and Ethephon Alter Potato Minituber Bud Dormancy and Improve Seed Tuber Yield

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Abstract

While greenhouse production of minitubers has markedly improved production of disease free seed, minituber dormancy can be an issue. This study tested application of abscisic acid (ABA), ethylene (E), gibberellic acid (GA) and the combination of E+GA on release of dormancy in potato minitubers, sprout development, and subsequent effects on field plant growth and yield of seed tubers. Cultivars were categorized on the basis of known dormancy responses as follows: (1) one short dormancy cultivar, Silverton Russet, (2) three intermediate dormancy cultivars, Russet Norkotah (RNK), Sangre S-14 and Desiree, and (3) two long dormancy cultivars, Nooksack and Russet Norkotah Selection 3 (RNK-S3). Eighty eight to 93% of E+GA treated minitubers from cultivars in the long dormancy group developed sprouts signaling the end of dormancy within 5 weeks, while the control and ABA treated minitubers were totally dormant with 0% bud break. With the intermediate cultivars E+GA treated minitubers had 100% bud break compared to 37 to 55% bud break in the control minitubers. Treated long dormant minitubers also had 2.1 to 2.5 more sprouts per minituber and 1.6 to 2.4 cm longer sprouts. E+GA treated minitubers planted in field plot trials produced mature plants that were 19 to 36 cm per plant taller, with up to 3.9 to 8.8 more seed tubers per plant, and 1.9 to 4.2 kg per plot higher yields. The laboratory protocol developed to predict dormancy breaking attributes provided a reasonable estimate of cultivar dormancy under field conditions.

Resumen

Mientras que la producción de minituberculos en invernadero ha mejorado mucho la producción de semilla libre de enfermedades, la dormancia de los minis puede ser un tema. En este estudio se probó la aplicación de ácido abscísico (ABA), etileno (E), ácido giberélico (GA) y la combinación de E+GA para romper dormancia en minis de papa, desarrollo del brote, y efectos subsecuentes en el crecimiento de la planta en el campo y en el rendimiento de tubérculo semilla. Las variedades fueron categorizadas con base a las respuestas conocidas de dormancia como sigue: (1) una variedad de corta dormancia, Silverton Russet, (2) tres variedades de dormancia intermedia, Russet Norkotah (RNK), Sangre S-14 y Desiree, y (3) dos variedades de dormancia prolongada, Nooksack y Russet Norkotah Selección 3 (RNK-S3). De 88% a 93% de los minis tratados con E+GA de las variedades del grupo de larga dormancia desarrollaron brotes en señal del fin de la dormancia dentro de cinco semanas, mientras que el testigo y los minitubérculos tratados con ABA estuvieron completamente en dormancia con 0% del rompimiento de yemas. Con los cultivares intermedios los minitubérculos tratados con E+GA, tuvieron 100% de rompimiento de yemas comparados con 37% a 55% en los testigos. Los minis de larga dormancia también tuvieron de 2.1 a 2.5 más yemas por minitubérculo y brotes de 1.6 a 2.4 cm más largos. Los tratados con E+GA plantados en ensayos de campo produjeron plantas maduras que fueron de 19 a 36 cm más altas, con hasta 3.9 a 8.8 más tubérculos semilla por planta, y 1.9 a 4.2 kg más altos rendimientos por lote. El protocolo de laboratorio elaborado para predecir los atributos de rompimiento de la dormancia proporcionó una estimación razonable de la dormancia varietal bajo condiciones de campo.

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Acknowledgments

The project was supported by Colorado State Agricultural Experiment Station Project number 0691. We thank James zumBrunnen for statistical advice, and Ann E. McSay and Kent P. Sather for technical assistance.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Tübitak, Marmara Research Center, Genetic Engineering & Biotechnology Institute, P.O. Box: 21, Gebze, Kocaeli, 41470, Turkey

    Oktay Külen

  2. Department of Horticulture and Landscape Architecture, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, 80523-1173, USA

    Cecil Stushnoff

  3. San Luis Valley Research Center, Colorado State University, 0249 East Road 9 North, Center, CO, 81125, USA

    Robert D. Davidson & David G. Holm

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  1. Oktay Külen
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  2. Cecil Stushnoff
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  3. Robert D. Davidson
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  4. David G. Holm
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Correspondence to Robert D. Davidson.

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Külen, O., Stushnoff, C., Davidson, R.D. et al. Gibberellic Acid and Ethephon Alter Potato Minituber Bud Dormancy and Improve Seed Tuber Yield. Am. J. Pot Res 88, 167–174 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12230-010-9178-8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12230-010-9178-8

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