New Zealand Journal of Crop and Horticultural Science abstracts

---

Growth responses of potato (Solanum tuberosum) grown in a hot tropical lowland to applied paclobutrazol: 1. Shoot attributes, assimilate production and allocation

T. Tekalign
P. S. Hammes

Department of Plant Production and Soil Science
University of Pretoria
Pretoria 0002, South Africa
email: tekaligntsegaw@yahoo.com

Abstract  The growth responses of potato (Solanum tuberosum) to leaf and soil applied paclobutrazol (PBZ) under the hot tropical climate of eastern Ethiopia was investigated in two field experiments. A month after planting, PBZ was applied as a foliar spray or soil drench at rates of 0, 2, 3, and 4 kg active ingredient (a.i.) PBZ/ha. A randomised complete block design with three replications was used. Regardless of the method of application, PBZ increased chlorophyll a and b content and net photosynthesis of the leaf tissue, but reduced shoot growth, plant height, stomatal conductance, and rates of transpiration compared with the control. PBZ significantly delayed the onset of leaf senescence and increased the partitioning of assimilates to the tubers while reducing assimilate supply to the leaves, stems, roots, and stolons. PBZ improved the productivity of potatoes grown in a hot tropical climate by reducing shoot growth, increasing leaf chlorophyll content, enhancing the rate of photosynthesis, improving water use, and modifying partitioning of dry matter to the tuber.

Keywords  chlorophyll content; paclobutrazol; photosynthesis; stomatal conductance; transpiration

H04041; Online publication date 8 March 2005 Received 29 April 2004; accepted 30 October 2004
New Zealand Journal of Crop and Horticultural Science, 2005, Vol. 33: 35–42
0014-0671/05/3301-0035 © The Royal Society of New Zealand 2005

PDF file of entire paper: Print-quality (162K) | screen-quality (110K)

---

This year's abstracts | Journal home page | All abstracts | Publishing home page