Effects of different temperatures and hormone treatments on breaking dormancy in potato tubers

Abstract

Mini propagation is a new method to produce potato. A factorial experiment based on completely randomized block design with three replications was conducted to investigate the effect of two temperature levels (18 and 25?C) and six hormone treatments (H1: 0% of ethanol + 0 mg/l of gibberellic acid, H2: 0% of ethanol + 10 mg/l of gibberellic acid, H3: 0.5% of ethanol + 0 mg/l of gibberellic acid, H4: 0.5% of ethanol + 10 mg/l of gibberellic acid, H5: 0.5% of ethanol + 20 mg/l of gibberellic acid, H6: 0.5% of ethanol + 30 mg/l of gibberellic acid) on mini tubers of two varieties of potato (Agria and Sant?). The longest sprouts were about 14.13 mm long and they were produced by Sant? variety at 18?C and H1 hormone level. Sprouting percentage was higher in Sant? (75.69%) than in Agria (59.72%). The highest average percentage of sprouted tubers (95%) was achieved at the temperature of 18?C and with H4 hormone treatment. Sant? had the shortest dormancy duration by using H1 hormone level at 18?C. Applying H6 hormone level at 18?C produced more sprouts per tuber in Sant?. Sant? was better than Agria with or without hormone treatment in respect of all measured traits. Higher GA concentration accelerates tuber sprouting in both varieties.nema