Determination of seedling quality of potato tubers obtained from potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) plants treated with different essential oils on field conditions

The present study was carried out at Suleyman Demirel University Faculty of Agriculture Department of Field Crops in 2016 as a field study. The purpose of the study is to investigate seedling quality of potato tubers (cv. Agria) obtained from potato plants (Solanum tuberosum L.) treated with thyme (Origanum onites L.), dill (Anethum graveolens L.), cumin (Cuminum cyminum L.) and Turkish pickling herb (Echinophora tenuifolia L. subsp. sibthorpiana (Guss.)) essential oils to seed potato tuber (300 and 600 ppm) and plant leaves (600 and 1200 ppm) at previous year and stored at controlled conditions (4-6 oC, % 80-85% RH) for 6 months.According to research results, it has been found to vary significantly of tuber yield and yield parameters and some quality characteristics of potato seeds taken from essential oil applied to both plant leaves and seeds at previous year.Emergence rates of plants were higher than control in both doses of dill, Turkish pickling herb and cumin, 300 ppm oregano essential oils at seed application and in both doses of Turkish pickling herb, cumin and 600 ppm dill and oregano essential oils at foliar applications. Emergence time of plants growing from oregano and Turkish pickling herb essential oils in seed application and oregano and 600 ppm dill essential oils in foliar applications were similar to control, whereas the all other applications caused late emergence. Depending on the application, average number of tubers per hill changed between 5.0-7.5 number/hill, average tuber weight was 124-163 g and tuber yield per hill were 615-1116 g/hill. All applications gave better results compared to control except that seed applied of oregano oil at 600 ppm and foliar applied at 600 and 1200 ppm. All essential oil applications significantly increased total tuber yield compared to control except that the foliar applied of oregano essential oil. The highest total tuber yield were obtained from both doses of Turkish pickling herb and 600 ppm cumin essential oil in seed application and 1200 ppm cumin essential oil in foliar application. Total tuber yield were higher by 66-72% than the control in these applications. Seed applied of 600 ppm oregano essential oil with foliar applied both doses of Turkish pickling herb and 600 ppm oregano essential oil applications caused increases of abnormal tuber rate. Both seed and foliar applications of essential oils significantly affected tuber quality. Tuber dry matter content was higher in seed applied of Turkish pickling herb, cumin and 600 ppm and foliar applied of dill and 600 ppm Turkish pickling herb essential oils than the other applications. Total and reducing sugar contents of tubers generally increased depending on the treatments while sugar content of tubers in seed applied Turkish pickling herb and cumin essential oils and foliar applied of oregano and 600 ppm Turkish pickling herb essential oil were similar the control. In general, it is concluded that seedling tuber quality of tubers obtained that seed applied of Turkish pickling herb and cumin essential oil and foliar applied of cumin essential oil were higher and when these tubers were used as seeding, the tuber yield per unit area could be increased significantly.