Growth, yield and dormancy of aeroponically produced potato minitubers as a function of planting density and harvesting date

Resumo

Potato seed is one of the largest costs of a crop. One way to reduce this cost is by multiplicating potato seed in high technology systems, among them, aeroponics. The objective of this work was to determine the effect of planting density on the growth and yield of potato plants cv. Agata in aeroponic cultivation, and the effect of harvesting dates and planting densities on the dormancy of harvested minitubers. The number of stems, leaves, and the number and mass of minitubers per plant reduced when planting density was increased from 60 to 180 plants m^-2. However, the number of stems, leaves, initiated minitubers, and the number and mass of minitubers per area increased when planting density was increased from 60 to 180 plants m^-2. The maximum yield of type III minitubers (>30 mm) was 613 m^-2, obtained at the density of 180 plants m^-2. Plant density did not affect the dormancy of harvested minitubers, but harvesting date did. There was a reduction of 7 and 21 days on the dormancy period of minitubers harvested at 64 and 78 days after transplantation compared to minitubers harvested at 50 days after transplantation.