ENDOGENOUS CHEMICAL COMPOUNDS HAVING REGULATORY EFFECT ON STOLON SPROUTING IN Solanum tuberosum L.

Abstract

Before potato plants (Solanum tuberosum L.) produce tubers (edible organ), a stolon segment needs to undergo tuber formation. Prior to this event, the stolon must develop from an underground bud on the stem. Thus, sprouting of the stolon is a key event in tuber production, and this study searched for endogenous hormone-like compounds possibly associated to stolon development. Stolon buds were sampled (200 mg) in four early developmental stages: latent, swollen, sprouted and differentiated. Agata and Fianna potato varieties were grown in a controlled environment chamber in pots containing perlite as substrate. Extracts were collected from 50 buds per variety and developmental stage (400 total buds). Buds were separated under a microscope. Three repetitions per variety and stage were analyzed in an HPLC coupled to an UV-VIS detector. Commercial plant regulators Kin, 2iP, BAP, IAA, GA3 and ABA were used as reference for the analysis. Average peak areas and standard deviations were calculated. From the samples, eight different compounds to the reference compounds were separated. Two compounds were associated to repression of stolon sprouting in both varieties: one is related to auxin and the other to gibberellin.