'Norland' Tuber Yields Are Not Affected by Salinity Treatment of Parent Plants

Abstract

Micropropagation and minituber production technology may enable the establishment of potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) seed tuber certification programs in arid and semiarid regions of the world and reduce dependency on expensive seed tuber imports. Therefore, we investigated possible carry-over effects of moderate salt stress on the following production cycle. The yields of seed tuber- and microtuber-derived plants of potato, cv. Norland, grown in both nonsaline and saline (NaCl) growing conditions (pretreatment), were evaluated under nonsaline or saline irrigation (0 or 60 mm NaCl) in a greenhouse trial. Pretreatment had no effect on yield; there was no apparent residual carry-over effect of salt stress of parent plants on tuber yield of seed tuber- or microtuber-derived plants. Irrigation with a 60 mm NaCl solution depressed total tuber fresh weight in both seed tuber-(43%) and microtuber-derived plants (75%), but total tuber number was increased (77% and 663%, respectively). This increase in tuber numbers has potential value in the minituber production industry.