Studies on flower induction in potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) in the plains of Punjab
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Date
2017
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Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana
Abstract
The present investigation entitled, “Studies on flower induction in potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) in the plains of Punjab” was conducted at the Department of Vegetable Science, Punjab Agricultural University (PAU), Ludhiana. The effect of extended photoperiod (EP) and silver thiosulphate (STS) on flowering enhancement in 12 normally potato flowering genotypes (set I) and on flower induction in 23 non-flowering potato genotypes (set II) was investigated during short day conditions of autumn-winter season in 2015-16 and 2016-17. In the second season, experiment was carried under polyhouse conditions. In 2015-16 in set-I, EP enhanced flowering in all genotypes, however the extent increase varied with genotypes. Further, EP and STS application had additive effect on all flowering traits across all genotypes in set I. In set II, EP induced flowering in majority genotypes, except Kufri Surya, Kufri Jyoti, Lady Rosetta, FC-3, and Diamond. Similar to set I, STS application had additive effect to that of EP in all the genotypes with variable magnitude. In set I, the flowers of all the genotypes had viable pollens, while in set II, K. Garima, K. Chandramukhi and K. Pukhraj had low pollen viability. Normal berry setting was observed in ten and seven genotypes in set I and set II, respectively. Seeds obtained from these berries exhibited normal germination. In 2016-17, EP and STS enhanced flowering in all genotypes, but impact was very low which can be due to altered quality of light and high initial temperature inside the polyhouse. In the summer season 2016, nineteen selected genotypes that included the genotypes those did not flower in the first experiment were evaluated at Keylong, HP. All the 19 genotypes profusely flowered and had good berry setting. Seeds from these berries had normal germination. Overall, this study exhibited the possibility of flower induction in potato under short day conditions of Punjab using extended photoperiod in combination with silver thiosulphate, but the response was genotype dependant.
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