Evaluation of the nutrient solutions effects on minitubers production of potato promising clones under Aeroponic system

This study was performed in order to investigate production potential of promising clones and cultivars mini-tuber and nutrient solutions for achieving the greatest potato mini-tuber number, weight and quality in aeroponic system during 2011-2013 years in the laboratory and greenhouse of Ardabil Sabalan Behparvar Company. Eight numbers of clones and cultivars (six promising clones included 397009-3, 397082-10, 397097-2 (Khavaran), 397081-1, 397097-14, 397069-2 and two cultivars included Agria and Marfona) as first factor and four nutrient solutions (Lommen and Struik, 1992cΊ Kang and Han, 2005 Ί Otazu, 2010 Ί Hoagland and Arnon, 1950) as second factor were evaluated as factorial experiment in the based of completely randomized design with three replications. During growth period and after harvest some important traits as: the plant height, main stem number per plant, mini-tuber number and weight per square meter, mini-tuber weight average per square meter and mini-tubers storage condition were measured. Analysis of variance showed that between nutrient solutions, clones and cultivars and their interactions in traits of mini-tuber number and weight per square meter, mini-tuber weight average, plant height and main stem number per plant there were significantly differences. The mid-late mature promising clones of 397081-1 and 397009-3 in traits of mini-tuber number per square meter (2766 and 2141 mini-tubers, respectively), mini-tuber weight per square meter (11400 and 16500 g, respectively) and mid-late mature promising clone of 397081-1 in the characters of mini-tuber weight average per square meter (5.59 g) and plant height (174 cm) in nutrient solution 1 (Lommen and Struik, 1992c) were. The mini-tuber number differences per square meter in mid-late mature promising clones of 397081-1 and 397009-3 as compared with Agria cultivar were about 1166 and 541 mini-tubers, respectively. Among of mid-early mature promising clons, the 397069-2 clone relative to 397097-14 clone and Marfona cultivar showed the highest mini-tuber number per square meter. In aeroponic system, mini-tuber weight average was about 6.16 g. The mid-late mature promising clone of 397097-2 (Khavaran) had the the lowest mini-tuber weight per square meter. This clone began to producd of mini-tubers, much later than other clones and cultivars. The first harvest of mini-tubers in other of clones and cultivars, took place on the average 39 days after planting. While the first mini-tuber of this clone were harvested about 65 days after planting. Because of this reason, the most mini-tubers were produced at the end of the growing stages and in the final harvest, mini-tuber weight were smaller.