Modernized seedling scheme for growing potato minitubers

Traditionally, minitubers are grown in the process of planting test-tube plants or potato microtubers in a special greenhouse. For 1.5 month from single-node microcuttings, we obtained plants with a stem length of 6-8 cm in 250-mL flasks. The in vitro growth rate of microplants was controlled by adding to the composition of the Murashige-Skoog (MS) nutrient medium chlorocholine chloride (CCC) at a concentration of 0.1-0.5 mg L-1. Microplants were removed from the flasks using scissors 20 cm long and tweezers under non-sterile conditions. The roots were shortened to 2-3 mm, the basal part of the stems was treated with a chalk-based paste containing indolylbutyric acid (IBA 0.04%). Plants were planted on peat pellets with a diameter of 36 mm directly in the laboratory, and trays with the material were transferred to the greenhouse at the end of April at a temperature of + 23±3°C and placed in the conditions of upper fine irrigation. After 2-3 days, mass root formation began in the plants, and a week later the plants were ready for use. By this moment, the height of the plants was 10-15 cm, and the roots were clearly visible on the surface of peat pellets. Planting such seedlings in the greenhouse was convenient and inexpensive. Previously, in pots with a capacity of 5 L filled with peat, planting holes were prepared, seedlings were placed in pots and moderate watering was carried out, which was then repeated as the substrate dried. 100% of the plants survived and began to grow actively for 3-4 days. Two months after planting, the plants were treated with Reglon, and after the stems dried out, the minitubers were removed from the pots. The average yield of minitubers per pot for 'Red Scarlet' was 18.3 pcs., for 'Estima' - 15.2 pcs. © 2021 International Society for Horticultural Science. All rights reserved.