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Potato plants ( Solanum tuberosum L.) are chloride‐sensitive: Is this dogma valid?
Author(s) -
Hütsch Birgit W,
Keipp Katrin,
Glaser AnnKathrin,
Schubert Sven
Publication year - 2018
Publication title -
journal of the science of food and agriculture
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.782
H-Index - 142
eISSN - 1097-0010
pISSN - 0022-5142
DOI - 10.1002/jsfa.8819
Subject(s) - hydroponics , shoot , solanum tuberosum , cultivar , dry matter , starch , chemistry , horticulture , chloride , sodium , potassium , yield (engineering) , agronomy , food science , biology , materials science , organic chemistry , metallurgy
BACKGROUND Chloride sensitivity of the potato ( Solanum tuberosum L.) cultivars Marabel and Désirée was investigated in two pot experiments (soil/sand mixture and hydroponics). It was tested whether there are differential effects of KCl and K 2 SO 4 application on tuber yield and tuber quality, and whether both potato cultivars differ in their chloride sensitivity. RESULTS Tuber yield, dry matter percentage of the tubers, starch concentration and starch yield were not significantly affected by potassium source (K 2 SO 4 or KCl). After exposure to salt stress in hydroponics (100 mmol L −1 NaCl, 50 mmol L −1 Na 2 SO 4 , 50 mmol L −1 CaCl 2 ) for 5 days, 3‐week‐old potato plants had significantly reduced shoot dry mass after NaCl and Na 2 SO 4 application. However, CaCl 2 treatment did not significantly affect shoot growth, although the chloride concentration reached 65 to 74 mg Cl − mg −1 dry matter, similar to the NaCl treatment. In contrast, growth reductions were closely related to sodium concentrations, thus plants suffered sodium toxicity and not chloride toxicity. CONCLUSION Both potato cultivars are chloride‐resistant and can be fertilised with KCl instead of K 2 SO 4 without the risk of depression in tuber yield or tuber quality. The statement that potatoes are chloride‐sensitive and that chloride has negative effects on yield performance needs reconsideration. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry