Application of Soluble Chitosan in vitro and in the Greenhouse to Increase Yield and Seed Quality of Potato Minitubers

Abstract

The aim of this work was to investigate whether the application of soluble chitosan in potato micropropagation can improve microplant quality in vitro, help acclimatisation ex vitro, and increase yield and seed quality of minitubers. Potato cv. Désirée microplants were treated in vitro with soluble chitosan added to the semisolid tissue culture medium in different concentrations. Microplants were subsequently transferred to the greenhouse and sprayed with chitosan solutions or remained unsprayed. Untreated microplants were also established ex vitro and sprayed with chitosan, or left unsprayed as a control. Morphological and physiological parameters of plant growth were assessed in vitro and ex vitro. Plantlet quality was evaluated using a ranking system. Minitubers derived from greenhouse plantlets were planted in the field in subtropical conditions, and growth and yield parameters evaluated. The chitosan concentration most beneficial to the in vitro growth of microplants varied between years. In treatments with the best in vitro growth, minituber number and yield in the greenhouse was also increased. Foliar chitosan application at the acclimatisation phase stabilised the effect of in vitro treatment on yield parameters. The seed quality of minitubers derived from chitosan treatments in vitro alone and in combination with foliar treatment at acclimatisation was improved, giving rise to field plants with increased tuber numbers and yields. The combination of chitosan in vitro and foliar application during the acclimatisation phase ex vitro had a greater effect on minituber seed quality than the concentration applied in vitro.

Studies on cell wall regeneration in protoplast culture of legumes - the effect of organic medium additives on cell wall components

“…This indicates that the cell wall was properly reconstructed, at least in some cells. Chitosan is quite often used in plant tissue culture as a cell-stimulating additive (Kowalski et al 2006;Nge et al 2006). This compound induces cellular defence responses against various stresses, including callose formation (Köhle et al 1985).…”

A Review of the Applications of Chitin and Its Derivatives in Agriculture to Modify Plant-Microbial Interactions and Improve Crop Yields

“…radicis-lycopersici) [129] a pathogen that can thrive if the growth of microbes in the fertigation stream is not controlled. The inclusion of soluble chitosan to hydroponic fertigation streams also promoted the growth and final yield of hydroponically cultivated potato microtubers [217].…”

Plant and soil characteristics affected by biofertilizers from rocks and organic matter inoculated with diazotrophic bacteria and fungi that produce chitosan

“…The effects of chitosan were likely observed in the treatments with higher amounts of substrates that were sulfur inoculated with Acidithiobacillus, as the acid production increases the available P and K in soil (Stamford et al, 2006(Stamford et al, , 2008. Furthermore, chitosan increased the levels of N, P and K in the substrate (Kowalski et al, 2006, Goy et al, 2009. The application of sulfur with Acidithiobacillus must be thoroughly evaluated due to the acidification effect of sulfuric acid, which in some cases and particularly in acidic soils, may result in the displacement of exchangeable Al +3 that is harmful to plant growth (Stamford et al, 2006).…”