Efficacy of Seed Aging and Gibberellin Treatments for Manipulating Apical Dominance, Tuber Set and Size Distribution of cv. Shepody

The cultivar Shepody has excellent early processing qualities and produces above average tuber yields but sets relatively few tubers that often become excessively large relative to market demand. Optimizing tuber set and size of Shepody for seed and frozen processing markets currently entails adjusting in-row spacing and vine kill date. However, arresting tuber growth by vine killing for size control sacrifices yield potential. Aging seed by storing at 12, 22, and 32 degrees C for 80-, 450-, and 900-degree days, or gibberellin (GA) treatments, were evaluated as more direct approaches for modulating stem number (apical dominance), tuber set, and size distribution relationships. Shepody proved to be inherently resistant to high temperature-induced age-priming treatments. In contrast to other cultivars studied previously, age-priming Shepody seed during storage had no effect on plant emergence and the resulting increases in stem number, tuber set, and associated decreases in average tuber weight were marginal. By contrast, GA applied as seed dip or spray effectively hastened plant emergence, reduced apical dominance, increased tuber set, and decreased average tuber size. The magnitude of these GA-induced effects depended on concentration and application technique (seed dip versus spray). For frozen processing, GA applied as a seed dip at 1 mg L-1 added an additional tuber per plant and decreased average tuber size by 15% without affecting U.S. No. 1 tuber yields and gross returns; however, 2 and 3 mg L-1 GA decreased U.S. No. 1 tuber yields and crop value by an average of 16 and 14%, respectively. Spray applications of 2-6 mg L-1 GA also reduced U.S. No. 1 tuber yield and frozen processing value. Conversely, the increase in tuber set (1.5 tubers plant(-1)) and associated 25% reduction in average tuber weight induced by 2 mg L-1 GA applied as either dip or spray increased gross crop values on a seed contract by 25 and 38%, respectively. The differential efficacies of dip versus spray applications of GA on tuber set and size distribution were likely attributable to differences in GA deposition on the seed. Applying low concentrations of GA to cut seed of Shepody as either a dip (1-2 mg L-1) or spray (2 mg L-1) effectively modulated tuber set and size to significantly increase gross returns for seed, and to better satisfy the needs of processors for more moderate size tubers.