Seed tuber age effects on the response of potato plants (cv Alpha) to different drought stress regimes during the pre-tuberization period were evaluated. During a slow drying cycle of approximately 2 weeks’ duration, young expanding leaves on plants grown from young or old seed tubers showed no evidence of osmotic adjustment and pre-stressing the plants did not affect this situation. Pre-stressed plants from young and old tubers possessed a higher relative water content at a zero turgor potential than unstressed plants. However, tuber age did not affect significantly the relative water content at zero turgor potential. Plants derived from young seed tubers exhibited improved drought resistance such as reduced water loss from mature leaves, a larger root/shoot dry weight ratio and possible effects on root distribution in soil.