Rooting Potential of Mini-Cuttings for the Production of Potato Plantlets

Abstract

The production of mini-tubers under soilless cultivation system increased the availability of pathogen-free seed potatoes. The objective of this study was to evaluate the rooting capability of mini-cuttings of potato clones as a function of the irrigation solution and the physiological age of the mother plant, under soilless cultivation system. Potato mini-cuttings were collected from young and mature plants of the cultivars Asterix and Macaca and the advanced clone SMINIA 793101-3. The young plants were newly acclimatized individuals and the mature plants were at the stage of producing mini-tubers. In the first experiment, mini-cuttings originating from summer pruning of mature plants were grown under closed soilless cultivation system irrigated with a nu- trient solution developed for the production of potato mini-tubers and a solution comprised of tap water only. The experiment was conducted in a 3 × 2 factorial arrangement (clones and irrigation solutions) in the complete random design with four replicates of 15 mini-cuttings. In the second experiment, the young and mature mini-cuttings were established under a closed soilless cultivation system irrigated with nutrient solution. The experiment was conducted in a 3 × 2 factorial arrangement (clones and physiological age of the mother plant) in the complete random design with four replicates of 15 mini-cuttings. In both experiments, the percentage of rooting and survival of mini-cuttings, number of roots and length of the longest root were assessed at 21 days of cultivation. Potato mini-cuttings can be rooted under closed soilless cultivation system irrigated with nutrient solution or tap water. Mini-cuttings of young plants have higher rooting capability compared to the ones taken from mature plants. The loss of rooting capability depends upon the potato cultivar.