Influence of the Size of Potato Microtubers (<i>Solanum tuberosum</i>L.) on the Yield of Plants under Semi-Axenic Conditions

The potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) is a vegetable that ranks fifth in the world for human consumption. Its importance is growing more and more in the Senegalese diet. However, the potato production in Senegal does not meet the needs of the market, which maintains dependence on the outside for the supply of quality seeds. In addition, these imported seeds do not often have phytosanitary qualities required for local production in the Sahelian zone. The in vitro production of microtubers, used as seed, has been shown to be one of the most efficient means for propagation of basic material. To overcome the constraints linked to the supply and availability of potato seeds, with high germination capacity, the impact of the microtuber size on the yield of the plants under semi-controlled conditions was examined. The pre-germinated microtubers were produced in vitro from vitroplants of 3 different varieties (Aida, Atlas, Odessa) adapted to the edaphic-climatic conditions of Senegal. The effects of the seed sizes of microtubers, greater than 4 mm, sown under semi-controlled conditions, on the yield of the plants, result in an increase in the ratio, in the vegetative development of the plants, but also in the number and size of the minitubers harvested. The yield of the plants also depends on the variety. It can therefore be envisaged to produce local potato seeds from microtubers and minitubers.

Effects of different LEDs light spectrum on the growth,leaf anatomy,and chloroplast ultrastructure of potato plantlets in vitro and minituber production after transplanting in the greenhouse

Light spectrum plays an important role in regulating the growth and development of in vitro cultured potato(Solanum tuberosum L.) plantlets. The status of potato plantlets at the end of in vitro stage influences the minituber production after transplanting. With 100 μmol m^-2s^-1 total photosynthetic photon flux density(PPFD), a light spectrum study of 100% red light emitting diodes(LEDs) light spectrum(RR), 100% blue LEDs light spectrum(BB), 65% red+35% blue LEDs light spectrum(RB), and 45% red+35% blue+20% green LEDs light spectrum(RBG) providing illumination at the in vitro cultured stage of potato plantlets for 4 weeks using fluorescent lamp as control(CK) was performed to investigate the effects of LEDs light spectrum on the growth, leaf anatomy, and chloroplast ultrastructure of potato plantlets in vitro as well as the minituber yield after 2 months transplanting in the greenhouse. Compared to CK, RB and RBG promoted the growth of potato plantlets in vitro with increased stem diameter, plantlet fresh weight, plantlet dry weight, and health index. Furthermore, BB induced the greatest stem diameter as well as the highest health index in potato plantlets in vitro. Root activity, soluble protein, and free amino acid were also significantly enhanced by BB, whereas carbohydrates were improved by RR. In addition, thickness of leaf, palisade parenchyma and spongy parenchyma was significantly increased by BB and RBG. Chloroplasts under BB and RBG showed well-developed grana thylakoid and stroma thylakoid. Unexpectedly, distinct upper epidermis with greatest thickness was induced and palisade parenchyma and spongy parenchyma were arranged neatly in RR. After transplanting in the greenhouse for 2 months, potato plantlets in vitro from BB, RB, and RBG produced high percentage of large size tuber. BB improved fresh and dry weights of the biggest tuber but decreased tuber number per plantlet. In addition, RBG increased tuber number as well as tuber fresh and dry weight slightly. Our results suggested monochromatic blue LEDs as well as combined red, blue or/and green LEDs light spectrum were superior to fluorescent lamp spectrum in micro-propagation of potato plantlets. Therefore, the application of RBG was suitable;BB and RB could be used as alternatives.

Impact of Plant Density on the Formation of Potato Mimitubers Derived from Microtubers and Tip-Cuttings in Plastic Houses

The potato minitubers have been widely used for the elite seed propagation to improve the seed potato system in China. However, little information is available for an efficient production of the minitubers with high plant density in the protected growing conditions like plastic houses. In present research, the minitubers of a wide-grown potato variety, Favorita, were produced with the microtubers from tissue culture and the tip-cuttings of the microtuber plants. Three plant densities, 200, 400 and 600 microtubers or plants m-2 were set up with the randomized block design of 3 replications and the experiment was repeated in 4 seasons in 2009-2010. The canopy development, light interception, dry weight production and partitioning, tuberization and tuber weight were investigated to elucidate the mechanism by which the plant density affects the formation and growth of the minitubers. The results showed that the number of the tubers formed per unite area was in line with the increase in plant density. The difference in leaf area index （LAI） between the plant densities, especially in early stage of the plant growth, resulted in more radiation interception and dry weight producing in higher plant density than in lower one. However, our analysis demonstrated that the conversion coefficient of the cumulative intercepted radiation to plant weight and the dry weight partition rate to the tubers were constant between plant densities, suggesting that less amount of the photoassimilates partitioned to individual tubers is causal for more small tubers in high plant density. A negative exponential curve model, determined by total number of tubers produced per unit area and the mean tuber weight, fitted well to the tuber size distribution pattern. The optimum plant density could be estimated from this model for a maximum production of the minitubers with desired size.

Design and experiment of conical diversion virus-free potato minituber precision seed-metering device

In order to accelerate the development of sowing mechanization of virus-free potato minituber,a conical diversion virus-free potato minituber precision seed-metering Device was designed according to the structural characteristics and agronomic requirements of virus-free potato minituber.The device is mainly composed of conical turntable,transmission shaft,outer baffle of seed-metering Device,baffle,seed outlet,seed cleaning device,type hole,etc.The working principle of conical diversion precision seed-metering device for virus-free potato minituber was expounded,and the stress analysis of virus-free potato minituber in each region was carried out.By EDEM discrete element simulation software,the structure of the type hole is optimized to determine the optimal structure of the type hole and according to the physical characteristics of virus-free potato minituber,the single factor experiments of the effects of length of type hole,cone disc speed and cone disc angle on seed filling performance were completed.The orthogonal regression test was carried out with the length of type hole,cone disc speed,and cone disc angle as the test objects,and the leakage rate and qualified rate as the response indexes.The regression models of leakage rate,replay rate,and qualified rate were established,and the parameters of the regression model were optimized.The optimal parameter combination is that the length of type hole is 33.61 mm,the cone disc speed is 6.35 r/min,and the cone disc angle is 26.59°.Bench test was carried out under the optimal conditions,the leakage rate was 3.80%,the replay rate was 0.80%,and the qualified rate was 95.40%,which was basically consistent with the prediction results of the regression model,and met the requirements of precision sowing of virus-free potato minituber.