Effect of centre of production, maturity and storage treatment of seed tubers on the growth of early potatoes: I. Sprout development in storage

Abstract

SUMMARY The effect of three centres of production, two times of lifting and two post-harvest treatments of apparently virus-free seed tubers on sprout development at planting was studied over two seasons. Sprout length and degree of development were determined mainly by the light and temperature conditions during storage. Under similar storage conditions tubers from the most southern region, lifted early and allowed to sprout from lifting produced longer sprouts than those from the more northerly regions, lifted late and sprouted from midwinter. At planting all tubers had sprouts longer than 2·5 cm. Desprouted tubers from the more southern regions had the highest number of sprouts at planting and tubers 'greened' immediately on lifting had the least. An index of sprout development at planting was defined. The conditions and duration of storage had most influence on the degree of development as measured by this index; sprouts were most developed on tubers sprouted over a long period and on those sprouted in a heated glasshouse. The effects of varying centres of production and times of lifting on sprout development at planting were small compared with those readily produced by varying the storage conditions.