Root–Shoot Ratio as Indicator of Zinc Uptake Efficiency of Different Potato Cultivars

Abstract

Three potato cultivars, Kufri Badshah, Kufri Jyoti, and Kufri Chandramukhi were grown in low zinc (Zn) soil in the absence and presence of Zn in a pot experiment to test their Zn uptake efficiency. Two harvests were taken to obtain final dry matter accumulation (DMA), rates of shoot and root growth and Zn uptake rate per unit root length per unit time (Zn-influx). Taking the yield of the unfertilized relative to the fertilized plant as a measure of Zn efficiency, i.e., capacity of grow under low soil Zn supply, cv. Kufri Chandramukhi was less Zn efficient producing 71% total dry matter (shoot+tubers) as compared to cv. Kufri Jyoti and Kufri Badshah that produced 81 and 102%, respectively. Low Zn uptake efficiency of Kufri Chandramukhi was due to its low root length-shoot weight (DMA) ratio (4.7 m g−1) than Kufri Badshah (13.4 m g−1) and Kufri Jyoti (7.7 m g−1). Zinc influx did not differ significantly among cultivars in the absence of Zn. Lower Zn and higher K uptake efficiency of Kufri Chandramukhi than other cultivars have been discussed.