Plant Growth and Stomatal Responses of Potato Cultivars under High Temperature Stress

Abstract

Background: The higher temperatures resulted due to global warming might bring about changed geographical distribution of crops and even in the season. In other words, heat stress is likely to be an eventual challenge for crop production in general and for potatoes in particular. Thus, imparting heat tolerance in potato cultivars is of utmost importance. Methods: The experiment was conducted in pots and the ambient temperature was approximately 33±0.5oC which constitutes heat stress for potato crop. Potato cultivars namely Kufri Ashoka (relatively heat susceptible) and Kufri Surya (relatively heat tolerant), cultivars, were used in this experiment. The observations were made on the fourth leaf from the top of the mother shoot in potted plants which was fully expanded; data collected were subjected to statistical analysis by using analysis of variance under completely randomized design. Result: Data recorded on different morphological and stomatal attributes indicate that there was significant difference between susceptible and tolerant cultivars of potato wherein Kufri Surya showed better shoot/root ratio, stomatal density as well as stomata index as compared to Kufri Ashoka.