Effect of centre of production, maturity and storage treatment of seed tubers on the growth of early potatoes: II. Field growth

Abstract

SUMMARY Studies were carried out on the effect of source, time of lifting and post-harvest treatment of apparently virus-free Arran Pilot seed potatoes on subsequent crop growth. The experiments were carried out in 1961–2 and 1962–3 at Efford, Sutton Bonington and Edinburgh. Seed tubers from the more southern region, which were older and showed greater sprout development at planting, gave plants with a higher stem number at soil level, a higher tuber number and a greater percentage of the tuber yield as seed grade than northern-produced seed. High bulking rates were associated with early emergence, high tuber numbers and late apparent time of tuber initiation. In 1962 southern seed produced plants which initiated tubers early and had low bulking rates and low final yields. In 1963 seed source had little effect on the time of tuber initiation of resulting plants, and southern-produced seed gave plants with high bulking rates and high final yields. Early lifted and greened tubers gave rise to plants with the same pattern of response as seed produced at the southern centre. It is suggested that this variation in response between years was due to the climatic conditions at the time of tuber initiation in the field crop. Seed of a required state at planting can usually be obtained by growth at the centre of ware production provided disease can be controlled and the time between harvesting of seed and planting is longer than about 3 months.