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ARS Home » Plains Area » Sidney, Montana » Northern Plains Agricultural Research Laboratory » Agricultural Systems Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #318959
Title: Potato stolon and tuber growth influenced by nitrogen form

Author
item GAO, YUAN - Inner Mongolian Agriculture University
item JIA, LIGUO - Inner Mongolian Agriculture University
item HU, BO - Inner Mongolian Agriculture University
item Alva, Ashok
item FAN, MINGSHOU - Inner Mongolian Agriculture University

Submitted to: Journal of Plant Production Science
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 11/12/2014
Publication Date: 1/16/2015
Citation: Gao, Y., Jia, L., Hu, B., Alva, A.K., Fan, M. 2015. Potato stolon and tuber growth influenced by nitrogen form. Journal of Plant Production Science. 17(2):138-143.

Interpretive Summary: Prolonged growth of potato stolon is a major limitation affecting tuberization. Past studies have shown some indication of effects of nitrogen (N) forms on stolon growth. In this study we investigated the effects of N forms on stolon growth, tuberization, and tuber bulking of potato plants in sand culture with nutrient solution. Plants received only NO3 form of N, showed increased stolon growth, and increased number of tuber bearing stolons. During tuber bulking stage, plants received NH4 form of N increased tuber bulking as compared to that of the plants received only NO3 form of N. Differential response of potato plants to forms of N is dependent on the growth stage of the plants.

Technical Abstract: Potato tuber initiation and its growth are key processes determining tuber yield, which are closely related to stolon growth, and are influenced by many factors including N nutrition. We investigated the influences of different forms of nitrogen (N) on stolon and tuber growth in sand culture with a nitrification inhibitor during 2010-2011, and using two potato cultivars. Plants supplied with NO 3 -N (N as nitrate, NO3–) produced more and thicker stolons than those supplied with NH 4-N (N as ammonium, NH 4+) at tuber initiation stage. In the plants fed NO3-N, the stolon tips swelled or formed tubers earlier and produced more tubers than in those fed with NH4-N. However, no significant difference was observed among N forms in terms of tuber yield at harvest; this may have been because of the shoot growth rate at tuber initiation stage was lower in the plants fed NO3-N. During the tuber bulking stage, the difference in shoot DWs among N forms began to decrease, and the shoot DW of plants fed NO3-N was even heavier than those fed NH4-N in some cases. The influence of N form on potato plant growth may therefore vary with the potato growth stage.