Abstract
In vitro tuberization as a potential screening method for heat stress tolerance in potato, was assessed on nodal expiants of Desiree, LT-2, Kennebec and Russet Burbank. Two tuber inducing media protocols were evaluated at 20 C and 28 or 30 C. Independently of the media protocol, heat stress significantly reduced tuberization. A delay in the formation of tuber initials was also observed in Desiree, Kennebec and LT-2 at 28 and 30 C compared to 20 C. Russet Burbank failed to tuberize under heat stress on both media. At higher temperatures Desiree either did not tuberize, or tuberized poorly on high sucrose-agar medium and tuberized the best of all cultivars, on low sucrose-Gelrite medium. Kennebec and LT-2 tuberized on both media. Medium with Gelrite gave better tuberization and more reproducible results than with agar. A high sucrose-agar medium, on the other hand, separated the heat tolerant clone LT-2 from the other cultivars. Higher temperature reduced accumulation of patatin and 22 kDa protein in all cultivars. The reduction was greater in Kennebec and least in LT-2. The results indicate that microtuber production under heat stress conditions, combined with SDS-PAGE protein electrophoresis, can be considered as a preliminary method in screening potato germplasm for subtropical and tropical climates.
Published Version
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call