Tuber Quality Research Articles

New potential roles of StDREB1 and VvWRKY2 transcription factors in potato dormancy and sprouting patterns

In a previous study, transgenic potato plants overexpressing the StDREB1 or the VvWRKY2 transcription factor (TF) proved to have higher productivity and ameliorated tuber quality in comparison to wildtype (WT; the BF15 variety) plants. Interestingly, when stored at 4 °C, we noticed that the tubers of transgenic potato plants exhibited a delay in sprouting, hence a longer dormancy period. Therefore, we decided to study the dormancy and sprouting of these tubers (the two transgenic and the WT lines) through a physiological and biochemical characterization. WT and genetically modified (GM) tubers were stored at 4 °C for different periods (0, 30, 90, 180, and 240 days) followed by placing them in a germination chamber and the sprouting parameters were then monitored. According to our findings, the overexpression of these two TFs led to modifications in the sprouting kinetic of tubers through an extension of the dormancy period and changes in the sprouting process. Indeed, WT tubers emitted apical and lateral sprouts while those from GM plants showed mainly apical sprouts. In addition, higher reactive oxygen species (ROS) rates, indicators of tuber aging, were recorded in WT tubers compared to GM ones. The higher antioxidant enzyme activities in GM tubers seem to be responsible for aging modification in comparison to WT. The above results suggest the first report on new roles of the StDREB1 and VvWRKY2 TF which seemed to be involved in the regulation of potato tuber aging via a reduction of the main biochemical factors concentration and the ROS content leading to a longer dormancy period and a modified sprouting pattern.

Chlorophyll content in leaves of highland potatoes for estimating tubers quality

In this study, we assessed the relationship between tubers quality of three varieties (INIAP Libertad, INIAP Josefina and Diacol Capiro) of Ecuador highland early of potato and two formulations of edaphic fertilizer sources. Leaf chlorophyll content (LCC) was evaluated with Chlorophyll Meter SPAD-502Plus. Samples were taken at different heights in three phenological stages: vegetative grow, flowering–formation of tubers and ripening-thickening. Several responses were found in the three potato varieties. Correlation between SPAD value and weight of tubers (W), dry matter (DM), specific gravity (SG) and good chips (GC) were significantly correlated with potato leaves chlorophyll content. For Libertad variety and formulation (KNO3 + NH4H2PO4 + KCl), at vegetative grow in upper strata of plant, the optimal mathematic function for SPAD value andW, DM, SG and GC were: y = 0.262x (R = 0.9938), y = 42.948e (R = 0.5240), y = 10x (R = 0.3277) and y = 10x (R = 0.8681); at plant flowering-formation of tuber stage, the optimal function models were: y = 10 x (R = 0.8553), y = 28.789 e (R = 0.9103), y = 10 x(R = 0.7543) and y = 0.468x + 64.361 (R = 0.9935); at plant ripening-thickening, the optimal function models were: y = 0.664 e (R = 0.7924), y = 29.370 e (R = 0.9572), y = 10 x (R = 0.8247) and y = 0.576x + 62.675 (R = 0.9690), respectively. Our results showed that the use of SPAD-520PLUS proved to be a rapid method for the determination of LCC, being an effective tool for estimating potato tuber quality.

Using the self-discharge electromagnetic generator fi eld to control the quality of potato tubers at the stages of storage

The article discusses a method for treating tubers with an electromagnetic fi eld (EMF) generated by a self-discharge high-frequency plasma generator before storage. The infl uence of this type of EMF on the activation of the metabolic processes of biological objects, increasing their resistance to damage by microorganisms during storage and contributing to the reduction of losses, is shown.

GGE Biplot-Based Transcriptional Analysis of 7 Genes Involved in Steroidal Glycoalkaloid Biosynthesis in Potato (Solanum tuberosum L.)

Steroidal glycoalkaloids (SGAs) are secondary metabolites that are closely associated with the sensory and processing qualities of potato tubers. GGE biplots are a widely used tool for analyzing crop breeding analysis. This study aimed to investigate the effect of light on SGA biosynthesis by employing GGE biplots to analyze the transcriptional gene expression of seven genes involved in the SGA biosynthesis pathway. Tubers of five different potato genotypes were incubated for 6, 12, and 24 h under red light. The expression levels of the seven genes were measured using qRT-PCR for analysis. Further analysis of the data was performed using GGE biplots. Our results indicated significantly higher expression levels for Pvs1, Sgt1, and Sgt3 genes than those of the remaining tested genes. Across the three red light illumination durations, Sgt3 showed high and stable expression, although it showed less stability across the different genotypes. Interestingly, the expression patterns of the seven genes were extremely similar for the 12 h and 24 h treatments. It was found that at least 6 h of red light illumination was required for optimal gene expression in all five genotypes, particularly in the genotype Zhuangshu-3 (DXY) after 24 h of treatment. Additionally, significant expression of the seven genes was observed in the L-6 genotype after 12 and 6 h of red light illumination. These results highlight that GGE biplots are an appropriate tool for analyzing and illustrating the differential expression profiles of the seven key genes involved in SGA biosynthesis in potato tubers. This study provides valuable insights into the biosynthesis and metabolism of SGAs in potatoes. Moreover, it demonstrates the potential application of GGE biplots in crop breeding and other research fields.

Selenium improves the medicinal safety and quality of Bletilla striata by promoting the fixation of cadmium in root: Pot and field experiments

Soil cadmium (Cd) pollution poses a considerable threat to the safe production of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) in China. The tubers of Bletilla striata, a precious TCM, are widely used to treat various ailments. However, the medicinal safety and quality of tubers are significantly affected by high Cd accumulation. While selenium (Se) is known to reduce Cd concentration in traditional crops, its impact on Cd content in medicinal parts and overall quality remains underexplored. To bridge the gap, a pot experiment and field validation were conducted to determine the effectiveness of foliar Se application. The results revealed that Se effectively counteracted Cd damage. Compared to Cd treatment alone, Se at 1.5 mg L−1 significantly decreased Cd content by 46.33 %, increased the biomass by 21.48 %, and raised the total phenolic, flavonoid, saponin, and polysaccharide contents by 46.31 %, 30.46 %, 27.08 %, and 29.01 %, respectively, in tubers. Furthermore, this study explored the mechanism of Se action. Se facilitated Cd accumulation in root cell walls and soluble fractions, enhanced the synthesis of phytochelatins (PC), and stored them in the form of PC-Cd complexes. These findings have profound implications for the cultivation of TCM, ensuring its safety, and promoting sustainable agricultural practices.

Convolutional neural network allows amylose content prediction in yam (Dioscorea alata L.) flour using near infrared spectroscopy.

Yam (Dioscorea alata L.) is the staple food of many populations in the intertropical zone, where it is grown. The lack of phenotyping methods for tuber quality has hindered the adoption of new genotypes from breeding programs. Recently, near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) has been used as a reliable tool to characterize the chemical composition of the yam tuber. However, it failed to predict the amylose content, although this trait is strongly involved in the quality of the product. This study used NIRS to predict the amylose content from 186 yam flour samples. Two calibration methods were developed and validated on an independent dataset: partial least squares (PLS) and convolutional neural networks (CNN). To evaluate final model performances, the coefficient of determination (R2), the root mean square error (RMSE), and the ratio of performance to deviation (RPD) were calculated using predictions on an independent validation dataset. The tested models showed contrasting performances (i.e., R2 of 0.72 and 0.89, RMSE of 1.33 and 0.81, RPD of 2.13 and 3.49 respectively, for the PLS and the CNN model). According to the quality standard for NIRS model prediction used in food science, the PLS method proved unsuccessful (RPD < 3 and R2 < 0.8) for predicting amylose content from yam flour but the CNN model proved to be reliable and efficient method. With the application of deep learning methods, this study established the proof of concept that amylose content, a key driver of yam textural quality and acceptance, can be predicted accurately using NIRS as a high throughput phenotyping method. © 2023 The Authors. Journal of The Science of Food and Agriculture published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society of Chemical Industry.

Foliar Application of Chelated Sugar Alcohol Calcium Improves Photosynthesis and Tuber Quality under Drought Stress in Potatoes (Solanum tuberosum L.).

Drought stress is a major threat to sustainable crop production worldwide. Despite the positive role of calcium (Ca2+) in improving plant drought tolerance in different crops, little attention has been paid to its role in mitigating drought stress in potatoes. In the present study, we studied the effect of foliar chelated sugar alcohol calcium treatments on two potato cultivars with different drought responses applied 15 and 30 days after limiting soil moisture. The results showed that the foliar application of calcium treatments alleviated the SPAD chlorophyll loss of the drought-sensitive cultivar 'Atlantic' (Atl) and reduced the inhibition of photosynthetic parameters, leaf anatomy deformation, and MDA and H2O2 content of both cultivars under drought stress. The Ca2+ treatments changed the expression of several Calcium-Dependent Protein Kinase (StCDPK) genes involved in calcium sensing and signaling and significantly increased antioxidant enzyme activities, average tuber weight per plant, and tuber quality of both cultivars. We conclude that calcium spray treatments improved the drought tolerance of both potato cultivars and were especially effective for the drought-sensitive cultivar. The present work suggests that the foliar application of calcium is a promising strategy to improve commercial potato yields and the economic efficiency of potato production under drought stress conditions.

Quantitative trait loci and candidate genes for physico-chemical traits related to tuber quality in greater yam (Dioscorea alata L.).

Starch, dry matter content (DMC), proteins, and sugars are among the major influences on yam tuber quality. Genetic improvement programs need simple, rapid, and low-cost tools to screen large populations. The objectives of this work were, using a quantitative trait loci mapping approach (QTL) on two diploid full-sib segregating populations, (i) to acquire knowledge about the genetic control of these traits; (ii) to identify markers linked to the genomic regions controlling each trait, which are useful for marker-assisted selection (MAS); (iii) to validate the QTLs on a diversity panel; and (iv) to identify candidate genes from the validated QTLs. Heritability for all traits was moderately high to high. Significant correlations were observed between traits. A total of 25 QTLs were identified, including six for DMC, six for sugars, six for proteins, and seven for starch. The phenotypic variance explained by individual QTLs ranged from 14.3% to 28.6%. The majority of QTLs were validated on a diversity panel, showing that they are not specific to the genetic background of the progenitors. The approximate physical location of validated QTLs allowed the identification of candidate genes for all studied traits. Those detected for starch content were mainly enzymes involved in starch and sucrose metabolism, whereas those detected for sugars were mainly involved in respiration and glycolysis. The validated QTLs will be useful for breeding programs using MAS to improve the quality of yam tubers. The putative genes should be useful in providing a better understanding of the physiological and molecular basis of these important tuber quality traits. © 2023 The Authors. Journal of The Science of Food and Agriculture published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society of Chemical Industry.

Yield and quality of potato tubers when grown in organic farming conditions

Methodology. The purpose of the research: to study the yield and quality of tubers of early ripe potato varieties Charoit and Meteor in organic farming in the northern forest-steppe of the Tyumen region. Studies were carried out in 2019- 2022 on the experimental field of the Northern Trans-Ural State Agricultural University. The soil of chernozem is leached, heavily carbonaceous in grain size distribution, medium provided with nitrogen and phosphorus, good – potassium, pH – 6.7 humus content – 7.2%. The content of trace elements in the soil is satisfactory. The precursor is spring wheat + rape per siderate. The green mass of the sideral culture (170 c/ha) was smelled on the fifth of October. In the spring, harrowing was carried out in order to retain moisture in the soil, then at a temperature of + 10…+12°C at a depth of 10-12 cm, milling, cutting of ridges and planting with sprouted tubers were carried out. The landing scheme is 75x30 cm, the plot area is 50 m2, the accounting one is 30 m2, the repetition is four times, the location of the plots is rendered. Prior to planting, tubers were treated with Taboo, 1 L/t and growth bioregulator Rostock, 0.5 L/t, and plants were treated with Immunocytophyte, 0.5 g/ha during the budding phase. Mineral fertilizers were not contributed. Caring for potato plantings included two interrow treatments and sinking.Results. It was established that in potato crop rotation with the annual use of sideral fertilizers, the yield of the noted varieties averaged 21.7-22.0 t/ha over four years, or 1.1-1.4 t/ha higher than the Zhukovsky early standard. The yield was combined with high quality tubers: starch content 13.9-14.6%, vitamin "C" 15.6-16.4 mg/%, nitrates – 59-81 mg/100 g, taste rating – 4.1-4.3 points.

Genetic Variability for Micronutrient Content and Tuber Yield Traits among Biofortified Potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) Clones in Ethiopia.

Malnutrition is one of the global issues of public health concern, and iron and zinc deficiencies are at the top of the list. Iron deficiency affects more than 2 billion people in the world and is a major cause of anemia. Potato has the potential to be an important source of iron and zinc. This study assessed the nature and magnitude of genetic variability in Fe and Zn concentrations, tuber yield, and quality traits among biofortified tetraploid potato clones and their relationships through correlation and path analysis. A total of 45 potato genotypes, including the variety Gudanie, were grown in field trials in a 9 × 5 alpha lattice design with three replications. Significant differences in mineral, tuber quality, and yield traits were observed among the genotypes, and high broad-sense heritability was obtained for most traits, suggesting that progress through breeding can be achieved. However, negative correlations and direct effects on most of the traits with Fe and Zn contents are found both at genotypic and phenotypic levels. Therefore, attaining simultaneous genetic gain for yield and enhanced Fe and Zn concentrations will be challenging. Cluster analysis assembled them into five groups. Cluster II contained the most prominent genotypes, having better mean values compared to all other genotypes for micronutrient traits, viz., Fe (23.80 mg kg-1) and Zn (17.07 mg kg-1). The results of this study confirm the presence of sufficient genetic variation for iron and zinc mineral concentration and the possibility to make significant progress through breeding.

К ВОПРОСУ РАЗВИТИЯ И ЭКОНОМИЧЕСКОЙ ЭФФЕКТИВНОСТИ МЕЛИОРАТИВНОЙ ОТРАСЛИ РЕСПУБЛИКИ ТАТАРСТАН

Sustainable and efficient production of agricultural products, regardless of the influence of weather and climate factors in the zone of risky farming, is largely possible only with the widespread introduction of land reclamation measures. The research was carried out with the aim of studying the current state of the reclamation industry in the Republic of Tatarstan and developing scientifically based ways of its development. In the course of the studies of the economic efficiency of irrigated agriculture in the republic, it was found that in potatoes production due to irrigation, the yield increases from 3.89 to 4.2 times, and the marketability of finished products due to improved quality and standardization of tubers by 2.58 times. It was revealed that with a potato marketability of 80%, the net income per 1 ha is 495.9 thousand rubles. The net income from 1 ha of corn for silage under irrigation is 52.4 thousand rubles. This suggests that one ruble spent on irrigation allows farms to receive up to 12 rubles of additional production in the production of grain crops. And in the production of vegetables and marketable potatoes - up to 40 rubles. The cultivation of perennial crops on irrigation makes it possible to obtain up to four full-fledged cuttings, which makes it possible to provide the livestock industry with a reliable fodder base. At this stage of development of the reclamation industry of the Republic of Tatarstan, about 1.5% of the arable land of the Republic is under irrigation reclamation, it produces up to 18.5% of the gross crop production. However, the widespread introduction of land reclamation elements by agricultural producers is limited due to a number of reasons. This series includes: the high cost of restoration, construction, operation and maintenance of reclamation facilities and their network, the lack of technical and financial resources for agricultural enterprises, the need for preliminary costly survey and design work to obtain design estimates (DED). According to expert estimates, to provide food for the inhabitants of the Republic of Tatarstan, it is necessary to have at least 150 thousand hectares of irrigated land, against the currently available 35 thousand hectares. Achieving the indicated value of irrigated lands is not possible without the adoption of a comprehensive program for the development of melioration and agrolandscape farming system, which should be adequately financially secured for the implementation of program activities.

Status of yam (Dioscorea spp.) in the Democratic Republic of Congo

AbstractYam is an important tuber crop with enormous potential to enhance rural sustenance and livelihood in DRC. However, studies to enhance its genetic improvement are very far from sufficient with only a handful of information available on the crop. Yam has been treated as an orphan crop compared to contemporary crops such as cassava and sweet potato which have adapted to different cropping systems and become widespread in production. The lack of research attention to address the major production challenges has further decreased the value and potential of the crop compared to its contemporaries. These production constraints include lack of adequate quality planting materials, low yield potential, poor resistance/tolerance to yam mosaic and anthracnose diseases and ultimately poor tuber quality attributes focusing on tuber taste, flesh oxidation and dry matter contents of the majority of the farmers preferred varieties. In this review, we evaluated the status of yam in DRC and presented the needful activities to be incorporated for its improvement. Diversity has however been maintained mainly through ennoblement efforts in house gardens and small farmlands using traditional farming methods. Studies from other nations where yam has been successful with prominence in characterization and genetic improvement brought to light the need for DRC to consider yam as a staple carbohydrate food source, even to the extent of modifications in food public policy. Reversal of the yam's current stigma is a challenge to the scientific community and the population in general.

CRISPR/Cas9-mediated Inhibition of Vacuolar Invertase (VInv) Gene in Potato

Potato is the third most important food crop worldwide after the wheat and rice. It has potential to overcome the issues of world’s food security. Potato crop faces some challenges during storage as Cold Induce Sweetening (CIS). During cold storage, the accumulation of reducing sugars such as fructose and glucose takes place in potato tubers. These reducing sugars later react with free amino acid and produce dark-brown pigmentation on potato products during frying. That leads towards reduction of potato quality and consumption. The increased quantity of sucrose is further hydrolyzed by Vacuolar Invertase (VInv) gene into reducing sugars. VInv gene acts as a key player in inducing CIS in potato. The objective of study was cloning of CRISPR/Cas9 construct and successful inhibition of VInv gene function in potato. Agrobacterium-mediated transformation of VInv gene in potato tissues was performed. The knockout of VInv gene in transformed plants was analyzed by using specific primers through polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Real time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) was carried out to analyze the expression of transgene in transgenic potato plants. The knockout of VInv gene using CRISPR/Cas9 strategy could maintain the quality of potato tubers during cold storage.

The effect of increasing rates of mineral fertilizers on the yield and quality parameters of potato tubers

The yield and quality parameters of potato tubers of Gala variety were determined in the conditions of the Middle Urals in 2020 and 2022 in long-term stationary experiment after prolonged application of NPK increasing rates (30-60-90-120-150 kg a.i.). The application of NPK by 60 kg a.i./ha and more promoted the potato yield raise by 1.1-1.3 times in 2020 and by 1.3-1.5 times in 2022 compared with the control variant without fertilizers (21.4 and 14.4 t/ha by years, respectively). The lowest dry matter content over the years of research was noted at the maximum dose of N150P150K150 mineral fertilizer in the experiment– 15.6 % in favorable weather conditions of 2020 and 19.4 % in the dry 2022. The starch content in potato tubers did not depend on the dose of applied mineral fertilizers and varied in 2020 in the range from 11.1 to 13.8 %, in 2022 – from 14.4 to 16.3 %. In potato tubers the content of crude protein in the wet mass increased from 1.32 to 1.90 % in 2020 and from 1.80 to 2.65 % in 2022 to the weight of wet mass with an increase in the dose of NPK from 30 to 150 kg/ ha active substance. The sugar content in 2020 was 0.58-0.83 % for natural humidity, in 2022 – 0.23-0.47 %. The fiber content in potato tubers did not depend on the doses of applied mineral fertilizers. The application of increasing doses of NPK did not lead to exceeding the permissible value of the nitrate content in fresh potato. According to a comprehensive assessment of the quality of tubers, potato yield, obtained under given conditions, was suitable for the production of low carbohydrate potato products and for fodder purposes.

Influence of calcium nitrate on potato productivity and soil condition in the forest-steppe of the Chelyabinsk region

The article discusses the results of field experiments to study the effect of calcium on the formation of the planned yield and quality of potato tubers in the conditions of the Chelyabinsk region. The objectives of the study included assessing the effect of mineral fertilizers on the agrochemical properties of the soil. It has been proven that the use of balanced norms of mineral fertilizers based on a planned yield of 40 t/ha (both with calcium and without it) has a significant impact on the mineral nutrition regime of plants. The introduction of calcium increases the adaptive ability of plants to drought conditions, while an increase in nitrogen nutrition of potatoes is observed in the first half of the growing season, and phosphorus and potassium nutrition throughout the growing season. As a result, in the variant (N130P150K130Ca158) with the introduction of calcium, the highest yield (+41.3% of the control) and the marketability of tubers (+5.1%), as well as high product quality, are observed, while in the variant without calcium (N130P150K130) a decrease in the content of dry matter in tubers by 1.7%, and starch - by 0.99% compared with the control (without fertilizers).

Determination of the effect of abiotic stress on the oxidative potential of edible potato tubers

Stress factors occurring during the growing season and potato storage, can negatively affect the quality of tubers, including an increased tendency to enzymatic darkening. Abiotic stress due to water shortage is a major factor limiting agricultural production. The purpose of the study was to determine the effect of cultivation technology based on the use of biostimulant, hydrogel and irrigation as well as storage on the propensity to darkening and the content of sugars and organic acids. The results show that genotypic and technological variability in interaction with growing season conditions had a significant (p < 0.05) effect on the oxidative potential (OP) of potato tubers. The Denar cultivar, compared to the ‘Gardena’, was characterized by a lower tendency to enzymatic darkening. Application of biostimulant and hydrogel generally contributed to lowering the oxidative potential of the tested cultivars. The application of anti-stress agents had no effect on organic acid content. The long-term storage caused an increase in the content of total sugars (TS) (22%), reducing sugars (RS) (49%), chlorogenic acid (ACH) (11%), and loss of ascorbic acid (AA) (6%) in the tubers which contributed to an increase in the oxidative potential of potato tubers (16%). The correlation coefficients obtained (p < 0.05) confirm the dependence of OP on the concentration of organic acids.

Responses of yield, quality and water use efficiency of potato grown under different drip irrigation and nitrogen levels

Proper irrigation and fertilization are essential for achieve high tuber yield and quality in potato production. However, the high cost of these inputs necessitate optimization of their use to improve both water use efficiency and crop productivity. This study aimed to investigate the impact of irrigation and nitrogen fertilization on potato yield, quality and water use efficiency. The research included different drip irrigation treatments (100%, 66%, and 33% of field capacity) and nitrogen levels: 0 (N0), 100 (N1), 200 (N2), 300 (N3), 400 (N4) and 500 (N5) kg N ha−1. The results indicated that potato yield and growth were more sensitive to irrigation treatment than nitrogen levels. Full irrigation with 300 kg N ha−1 produced the highest total tuber yield, while low irrigation treatments resulted in significantly lower yields. In contrast, the 66% field capacity irrigation treatment consistently had the highest water use efficiency in both years of the study. Furthermore, the study showed that the quality characteristics of the tubers were negatively impacted by full irrigation treatments compared to low irrigation. These findings suggest that with appropriate irrigation and nitrogen application, potatoes can be produced with acceptable yields while conserving water and minimizing nitrogen use. This research emphasizes the importance of optimizing inputs to improve water use efficiency and yield productivity while reducing water. As a result, obtaining useful information on crop management for farmers to make informed decisions may be possible by achieving optimal irrigation and nitrogen levels.

Genome-wide association studies reveal novel loci controlling tuber flesh color and oxidative browning in Dioscorea alata.

Consumers' preferences for food crops are guided by quality attributes. This study aimed at deciphering the genetic basis of quality traits, especially tuber flesh color (FC) and oxidative browning (OB) in Dioscorea alata, based on the genome-wide association studies (GWAS) approach. The D. alata panel was planted at two locations in Guadeloupe. At harvest, the FC was scored visually as white, cream, or purple on longitudinally sliced mature tubers. The OB was scored visually as the presence or absence of browning after 15 min of exposure of the sliced samples to ambient air. Phenotypic characterization for FC and OB of a diverse panel of D. alata genotypes highlighted significant variation within the panel and across two locations. The genotypes within the panel displayed a weak structure and could be classified into three subpopulations. GWAS identified 14 and 4 significant associations for tuber FC and OB, respectively, with phenotypic variance, explained values ranging from 7.18% to 18.04%. Allele segregation analysis at the significantly associated loci highlighted the favorable alleles for the desired traits, i.e., white FC and no OB. A total of 24 putative candidate genes were identified around the significant signals. A comparative analysis with previously reported quantitative trait loci indicated that numerous genomic regions control these traits in D. alata. Our study provides important insights into the genetic control of tuber FC and OB in D. alata. The major and stable loci can be further utilized to improve selection in breeding programs for developing new cultivars with enhanced tuber quality. © 2023 The Authors. Journal of The Science of Food and Agriculture published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society of Chemical Industry.

Partial Substitution of Chemical Fertilizer with Organic Manure Enhances Yield Attributes and Tuber Quality in Potato

Partial Substitution of Chemical Fertilizer with Organic Manure Enhances Yield Attributes and Tuber Quality in Potato

Biostimulant application of whey protein hydrolysates and potassium fertilization enhances the productivity and tuber quality of sweet potato

Utilizing biostimulants like protein hydrolysates is one of the most creative and promising approaches to improving nutritional efficiency, abiotic stress tolerance, or crop quality traits. In the present study, whey protein was hydrolysed with trypsin for 4 h at an enzyme/substrate ratio (1/300, w/w). The obtained whey protein hydrolysates (WPH) were chemically characterized, and their antioxidant activity was estimated. WPH, which was produced using trypsin for 4 hours and presented the highest antioxidant activity. Therefore, it was selected as a bio stimulant with potassium fertilization for enhancing the productivity and tuber quality of sweet potatoes. A field experiment was carried out during the two successive summer seasons, at a private vegetable farm in Faques City, Sharkia Governorate, Egypt, to study the effect of different potassium rates (50, 75, and 100 kg K2O/fad) and WPH at 0.10 and 0.20% as a foliar application compared to unsprayed plants (control). The interaction between K2O at 100 kg /fad and spraying with WPH at 0.15% increased shoot dry weight/ plant, N, P, and K uptake by shoots, yield/plant, marketable yield, and total yield/fad, as well as average tuber root weight. It was concluded that the most efficient bio-stimulating foliar spray treatment for increasing sweet potato productivity was WPH (0.20%).