Influence of size of seed piece upon the yield of potatoes

Wakankar, S.M.

Influence of size of seed piece upon the yield of potatoes

1944

Wakankar, S.M.

Experiments were conducted to study the relationship of seed piece size to yield in potatoes and the following results obtained: 1. Large seed pieces produce a greater number of sprouts, a greater yield, and a larger number of tubers per hill as compared to the small seed. The size of the individual tubers is reduced in case of large seed pieces, whereas it is increased with small seed pieces. 2. Keeping the size of the seed tuber constant, it has been found that yield and other characteristics of tubers produced are influenced by the number of sprouts per hill. 3. Size of seed piece within the range of 10 to 40 grams, with one sprout to each seed piece, has no effect on yield and other tuber characters. 4. Large seed pieces give higher yields because of their capacity to produce more sprouts per hill. 5. Determinations of the chemical composition of seed tuber tissue at three stages of growth of the potato plant show that there is a comparatively more rapid depletion of stored food material from the small seed piece than from the larger ones. As this depletion does not affect yield, it is presumed that the amount of stored food material in the seed tuber, or seed piece size, has no relation to yield. These results also indicate that with an increased number of sprouts to each seed piece, there is more demand on the stored food material of the seed tuber.

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