Cultivar-specific nutritional status of potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) crops

PLoS One. 2020 Mar 13;15(3):e0230458. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0230458. eCollection 2020.

Abstract

Gradients in the elemental composition of a potato leaf tissue (i.e. its ionome) can be linked to crop potential. Because the ionome is a function of genetics and environmental conditions, practitioners aim at fine-tuning fertilization to obtain an optimal ionome based on the needs of potato cultivars. Our objective was to assess the validity of cultivar grouping and predict potato tuber yields using foliar ionomes. The dataset comprised 3382 observations in Québec (Canada) from 1970 to 2017. The first mature leaves from top were sampled at the beginning of flowering for total N, P, K, Ca, and Mg analysis. We preprocessed nutrient concentrations (ionomes) by centering each nutrient to the geometric mean of all nutrients and to a filling value, a transformation known as row-centered log ratios (clr). A density-based clustering algorithm (dbscan) on these preprocessed ionomes failed to delineate groups of high-yield cultivars. We also used the preprocessed ionomes to assess their effects on tuber yield classes (high- and low-yields) on a cultivar basis using k-nearest neighbors, random forest and support vector machines classification algorithms. Our machine learning models returned an average accuracy of 70%, a fair diagnostic potential to detect in-season nutrient imbalance of potato cultivars using clr variables considering potential confounding factors. Optimal ionomic regions of new cultivars could be assigned to the one of the closest documented cultivar.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Algorithms
  • Canada
  • Crops, Agricultural / chemistry*
  • Crops, Agricultural / metabolism
  • Humans
  • Machine Learning
  • Nutritional Status*
  • Plant Leaves / chemistry*
  • Plant Leaves / metabolism
  • Quebec
  • Solanum tuberosum / chemistry*
  • Solanum tuberosum / metabolism

Grants and funding

ZC is partly funded by the Natural Sciences and Engineering Council of Canada (CRDPJ 385199-09 and DG-2254 - https://www.nserc-crsng.gc.ca), the Quebec Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (IA216581 - https://www.mapaq.gouv.qc.ca), Centre SEVE (https://centreseve.recherche.usherbrooke.ca/), Patate Dolbec Inc. (https://patatesdolbec.com/), Groupe Gosselin FG (http://gosseling2.com), Agriparmentier Inc., Ferme Daniel Bolduc Inc. (http://fermedanielbolduc.com/), Patate Laurentienne, Ferme Bergeron-Niquet, and Patates Lac-St-Jean (http://plsj.ca/). There was no additional external funding received for this study. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript