Physiological approach to the analysis of some complex characters of potatoes

Abstract

An attempt was made to show the possibility of analysis of the phenotypic as well as genotypic make-up of two complex physiological characters of cultivated potatoes. The complex characters were the yielding capacity and the water relations. The components of the first were analysed for some potato varieties by the method of growth analysis. For the analysis of their water relations the ability to retain water in the plant tissues and to regulate its output by transpiration were determined. It was shown that in different potato varieties the make-up of the complex characters studied may differ. It was shown that it is possible to design, for practical breeding purposes, model (type) plants with regard to the phenotypic as well as genotypic make-up of both the complex characters mentioned.