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ARS Home » Midwest Area » Madison, Wisconsin » Vegetable Crops Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #302835

Title: Rapid cycling of potato tuber generations by overcoming dormancy

Author
item Jansky, Shelley
item Hamernik, Andy

Submitted to: American Journal of Potato Research
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 9/2/2014
Publication Date: 10/11/2014
Publication URL: http://handle.nal.usda.gov/10113/60437
Citation: Jansky, S., Hamernik, A. 2014. Rapid cycling of potato tuber generations by overcoming dormancy. American Journal of Potato Research. 92(1):148-152.

Interpretive Summary: Breeders and geneticists are sometimes interested in producing multiple generations of potatoes in a year. However, dormancy prevents freshly harvested tubers from growing when planted. This study was carried out to determine whether the addition of the plant growth regulator gibberellic acid would allow us to consistently overcome tuber dormancy. Tubers were wounded and dipped in 0, 10, 100, and 1000 ppm GA. Then, they were planted in the field five days later. Vine length and stem number were measured throughout the season. Tubers were also harvested and weighed. Cultivars varied in their response to GA treatment. However, for all cultivars, wounding followed by treatment with 10 or 100 ppm effectively overcame dormancy. The 1000 ppm treatment produced excessive vine growth and lower yield compared to the lower concentrations. Consequently, wounding of freshly harvested tubers, followed by a dip in 10 ppm GA is recommended to overcome tuber dormancy in programs interested in rapid cycling.

Technical Abstract: Dormancy hinders progress in attempts to fast track potato tuber generations. In this study, we evaluated the ability of gibberellic acid (GA) to overcome dormancy in freshly harvested tubers of eleven potato cultivars in two years of field trials. Tubers were wounded and dipped in 0, 10, 100, and 1000 ppm GA. Then, they were planted in the field five days later. Vine length and stem number were measured throughout the season. Tubers were also harvested and weighed. Cultivars varied in their response to GA treatment. However, for all cultivars, wounding followed by treatment with 10 or 100 ppm effectively overcame dormancy. The 1000 ppm treatment produced excessive vine growth and lower yield compared to the lower concentrations. Consequently, wounding of freshly harvested tubers, followed by a dip in 10 ppm GA is recommended to overcome tuber dormancy in programs interested in rapid cycling.