Effect of Titanium on Growth of Very Early-Maturing Potato Cultivars

Abstract

A condition for achieving a high potato tuber yield on an early harvest is to provide plants with good growth conditions. In modern horticulture, plant growth stimulants have been gaining increasing importance. This study examined the effect of dose (0.2 dm 3 ha-1 or 0.4 dm 3 ha-1) and date (leaf development stage-BBCH 14-16, tuber formation stage-BBCH 41-43, leaf development stage and tuber formation stage) of Tytanit ® application (8.5 g Ti in 1 dm 3) on the growth of very early-maturing potato cultivars ('Lord', 'Miłek'). Following the Tytanit ® application, the plants were higher and produced a greater aboveground biomass and tuber weight, however, the leaf weight ratio (LWR) and leaf area ratio (LAR) were lower than in the cultivation without the growth stimulant. Tytanit ® had a greater effect on the leaf weight ratio (LAR) and tuber weight for the 'Lord' cultivar. Tytanit ® dose had no effect on the plant growth. A double Tytanit ® application resulted in a reduction in the length and weight of stems and tuber weight. The date of Tytanit ® application had no effect on the weight of leaves. The leaf area ratio (LAR) was the highest when Tytanit ® was only applied in the tuber formation stage, and the leaf weight ratio (LWR) was the highest when Tytanit ® was applied twice. A positive correlation was found between the tuber weight and the LWR and LAR.

Effect of Tytanit on the dry matter and macroelement contents in potato tuber

“…According to Sawicka and Mikos-Bielak (1995), an increase in potato tuber yield may be associated with a decrease in levels of certain, but not all, minerals in tubers. Tytanit ® as a growth stimulant caused an increase in the plant height and aboveground plant biomass and tuber weight per plant (Wadas and Kalinowski, 2017a), and as the result an increase in the yield of new potatoes of 'Lord' and 'Miłek' cultivars (Kalinowski and Wadas, 2017), but did not affect the macroelement contents in tubers, except for sodium. Leaf-absorbed titanium is translocated to roots via phloem and accumulated in the chloroplasts (Kelemen et al, 1993;Lyu et al, 2017).…”

“…Reducing the assimilation leaf area along with the increasing the chlorophyll a content and simultaneously decreasing the chlorophyll b content in leaves results in an increase in dry matter content in tubers (Sawicka et al, 2015). Tytanit ® caused an enlargement of the assimilation leaf area and an increase in chlorophyll content in leaves of very early potato cultivars (Wadas and Kalinowski, 2017b), however did not affect the content of dry matter in tubers. According to Sawicka and Mikos-Bielak (1995), an increase in potato tuber yield may be associated with a decrease in levels of certain, but not all, minerals in tubers.…”

Changes in Assimilation Area and Chlorophyll Content of Very Early Potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) Cultivars as Influenced by Biostimulants

“…The measurements were made on four successive randomized plants per plot. The assimilation area was measured by the weight method [36]. SLA was calculated as the ratio of assimilation area/weight of leaves [37].…”

The effect of growth regulator Tytanit dose on Medicago x varia T. Martin and Trifolium pratense L. yield and nutritional value

“…Raskar and Lawares, 2013 , Clement et al, 2013 found that a low dose of Tytanit stimulated seed germination and early growth of seedlings, while higher doses caused an opposite effect. The available literature ( Cigler et al, 2010 , Giménez et al, 1990 , Hrubý et al, 2002 , Radkowski, 2013 , Wadas and Kalinowski, 2017b , Yaghoubi et al, 2000 ) suggests that titanium application has a beneficial effect on the processes of photosynthesis, with an increase in the concentration of chlorophyll in leaf blades, better nitrogen uptake by cells, and growth of the SPAD index exceeding 20%. In addition, one of the consequences of titanium application to plants is an increase in glucose production, which translates into faster synthesis of biopolymers such as cellulose and starch.…”

“…Therefore, new effective methods and environmentally friendly solutions are needed to improve the health and quality of plants ( Ilieva and Vasileva, 2013 , Janas et al, 2013 , Serrano et al, 2004 , Szparaga et al, 2018 , Kocira et al, 2019 , Vasileva et al, 2017 ). One of such biostimulants is Tytanit ( Godlewska and Ciepiela, 2018 , Malinowska and Kalembasa, 2012 , Radkowski and Radkowska, 2013 , Radkowski et al, 2015 , Wadas and Kalinowski, 2017a ), the active ingredient of which is titanium (Ti). This chemical element is a micronutrient having a positive effect on plant biochemistry, supporting processes leading to an acceleration of plant growth and to an increase in the production of biomass ( Kužel et al, 2003 , Lyu et al, 2017 , Radkowski and Radkowska, 2010 ).…”