Potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) varieties Atlantic and Granola are widely grown in Indonesia. The optimal method of cultivation in the tropics, due to the susceptibility of cut seed for disease, is by small (20 to 55 g) whole seed potatoes. However, the variety Atlantic produces mostly large tubers, which are not suitable for planting as whole seeds. Although Granola produces a reasonable proportion of small tubers it still produces a few in the larger size grades and there is no fresh market in Western Australia for the larger tubers for this variety. The aim of this study was to develop methods to be used in Western Australia that improve the yield of small seed potatoes for export to Indonesia. The influence of seed-potato storage duration (at 4°C) on subsequent stem growth was assessed after 30 days growth in a glasshouse (22°C/18°C, day⁄night). Seed potato storage for 22-28 (Atlantic) and 24-30 (Granola) weeks resulted in development of higher numbers of stems. A series of field experiment were designed to increase yield of small tubers. Apical sprout removal in Granola, but not Atlantic, increased the number of stems (by 27%), yield of 20-55 g potato (by 32%) and total yield (by 17%). Application of herbicide (paraquat + diquat) at low concentration during early tuber initiation decreased total yield in Atlantic (by 14%) and Granola (by 16%). Treating whole seed potatoes with carvone vapor two weeks before planting had no influence on stem or tuber number in both Atlantic and Granola but in Atlantic only, the total yield was reduced by 12%. Spraying plants with paclobutrazol during early tuber initiation inconsistently influenced tuber number and yield between the two varieties and two experiments. The influence of gibberellic acid (GA3) on stem number, total tuber number, yield of 20-55 g tubers and total yield was investigated by dipping seed pieces in a GA3 solution (20 mg⁄L) two days prior to planting. In Atlantic, GA3 treatment increased stem number (by 147%), total tuber number (by 75%) and yield of 20-55 g tubers (by 330%) without influencing total yield. In Granola, GA3 treatment increased stem number (by 50%), total tuber number (by 15%), yield of 20-55 g tubers (by 21%) and total yield (by 10%) The influence of gibberellic acid application (20 mg⁄L) to seed pieces before planting increased the number of small tubers through increased stem number. The shift toward a greater proportion of small tubers, without reducing total yield, had a greater influence in Atlantic than that in Granola. Treatment of GA3 and paclobutrazol together decreased total yield compared to that of GA3 alone
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:ADTP/220997 |
| Date | January 2004 |
| Creators | Arpiwi, Ni Luh |
| Publisher | University of Western Australia. School of Plant Biology |
| Source Sets | Australiasian Digital Theses Program |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Rights | Copyright Ni Luh Arpiwi, http://www.itpo.uwa.edu.au/UWA-Computer-And-Software-Use-Regulations.html |
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