Understanding ageing processes in seed potatoes

Description

The physiological quality of seed tubers is very important for the performance of the crop grown from them, and interacts strongly with seed tuber size. Physiological quality consists of two components: dormancy and physiological age. This chapter reviews the conditions which influence both dormancy and physiological age, and the effects of seed quality on various aspects of crop performance. Future research should aim for a reliable, cheap indicator of physiological age that can predict the performance of the crop grown from the seed under different conditions and for different outlets.

Table of contents

1 Introduction: seed tubers as the main propagules in potato production 2 Quality characteristics of seed tubers 3 Dormancy and physiological age 4 The importance of seed quality as a yield-limiting and quality-determining factor 5 Understanding dormancy, bud activation, initial sprout growth and apical dominance 6 Understanding ageing in sprouts and mother tubers 7 Analysis of the dynamic development of physiological age and resulting crop performance 8 Causes of variation in physiological age and options for manipulation 9 Summary and future trends 10 Where to look for further information 11 References