Full Lenght Research Paper

The evaluation of biological viability of potato seed tubers grown at different altitudes

Dobrivoj POŠTIĆ¹*, Nebojša MOMIROVIĆ², Zoran BROĆIĆ², Željko DOLIJANOVIĆ² and Goran ALEKSIĆ¹

¹Institute for Plant Protection and Environment, T. Drajzera 9, 11040 Belgrade, Serbia.

²Faculty of Agriculture, Nemanjina 6, 11080 Belgrade, University of Belgrade, Serbia.

*Corresponding author. E-mail: pdobrivoj@yahoo.com.

Accepted 23 April, 2012

 Abstract

Considering the fact that altitude could significantly affect the quality of potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) seeds, biological viability of seed tubers and cultivar Desiree originating from three sites in Serbia, Kotraža (700 m a.s.l.), Sjenica (1300 m a.s.l.) and Golija (1600 m a.s.l.), were evaluated at two different temperatures in the light phase of sprouting - commonly at 12°C and raised 18°C, continously during five weeks, in the two-year period to establish efficient and confident sprouting method. Examined seed tubers had the highest number (8.37) of sprouts and developed the longest (21.24 mm) sprouts, because of heat accumulation at higher sprouting temperature of 18°C. High sprout vigor score (4.54) also was observed at 18°C, while at 12°C the lowest (2.27) score was calculated. Sprouting capacity increased with the increased altitude and it was highest at the 1600 m a.s.l. (0.30 to 0.85%), while the lowest one was obtained at 700 m a.s.l. (0.17 to 0.64%). Sprouting capacity of tubers was greater at lower sprouting temperature (0.33 to 0.74%).

Key words: Biological viability, potato, tubers, sprouting.