Influence of changes in daylength and carbon dioxide on the growth of potato

Ann Bot. 1997 May;79(5):529-33. doi: 10.1006/anbo.1996.9999.

Abstract

Potatoes (Solanum tuberosum L.) are highly productive in mid- to high-latitude areas where photoperiods change significantly throughout the growing season. To study the effects of changes in photoperiod on growth and tuber development of potato cv. Denali, plants were grown for 112 d with 400 micromol m-2 s-1 photosynthetic photon flux (PPF) under a 12-h photoperiod (short days, SD), a 24-h photoperiod (long days, LD), and combinations where plants were moved between the two photoperiods 28, 56, or 84 d after planting. Plants given LD throughout growth received the greatest total daily PPF and produced the greatest tuber yields. At similar levels of total PPF, plants given SD followed by LD yielded greater tuber dry mass (DM) than plants given LD followed by SD. Stem DM per plant, leaf DM, and total plant DM all increased with an increasing proportion of LD and increasing daily PPF, regardless of the daylength sequence. When studies were repeated, but at an enriched (1000 micromol mol-1) CO2 concentration, overall growth trends were similar, with high CO2 resulting in greater stem length, stem DM, leaf DM, and total plant DM; but high CO2 did not increase tuber DM.

Publication types

  • Comparative Study

MeSH terms

  • Biomass*
  • Carbon Dioxide / pharmacology*
  • Dose-Response Relationship, Drug
  • Ecological Systems, Closed
  • Life Support Systems
  • Light
  • Organ Size
  • Photoperiod*
  • Plant Leaves / anatomy & histology
  • Plant Leaves / drug effects
  • Plant Leaves / growth & development
  • Plant Leaves / radiation effects
  • Plant Stems / anatomy & histology
  • Plant Stems / drug effects
  • Plant Stems / growth & development
  • Plant Stems / radiation effects
  • Solanum tuberosum / anatomy & histology
  • Solanum tuberosum / drug effects*
  • Solanum tuberosum / growth & development*
  • Solanum tuberosum / radiation effects

Substances

  • Carbon Dioxide