Field performance of potato minituber weights at different planting dates

Abstract

Field performance of three weight classes of small minitubers ranging from 6.0 – 18.0 g was studied in two years at different planting dates. The heavy minitubers gave higher values than light minitubers for tuber yield, tuber weight, tuber number and stem number. Minitubers produced approximately 2 – 4 stems per plant. Approximately 9 – 19 t ha⁻¹ tuber yields were obtained from minitubers averaged over minituber classes, cultivars and planting dates. The performance of minitubers varied between planting dates, minituber classes, years and potato cultivars. These results indicate that small minitubers can be used effectively to expand production of basic potato seed stocks.

Keywords:

• Solanum tuberosum L.
• minituber
• planting date
• tuber yield

Acknowledgements

This research was funded through the grant from the Scientific Research Projects Unit, Akdeniz University (project number: 2000.01.0121.017).