Phyllocrono in potato affected by tuber-seed size and growing season

The objective of this study was to estimate the phyllochron of the potato cultivar Asterix in plants derived from different tuber seed sizes in two field growing seasons using the concept of degrees-days for calculating the phyllochron. The experiment was conducted in Santa Maria, RS, during Spring 2003 and Fall 2004. Four classes of tuber-seed diameter of the potato cultivar Asterix were used: 2-4 cm, 4-6 cm, 6-8 cm and 8-10 cm. The phyllochron was estimated as the inverse of the slope of the linear regression of main stem leaves number against the thermal time calculated with three methods: method 1 - considering only the base temperature, method 2 - considering the base temperature and the optimum temperature, and method 3 - considering the base temperature, the optimum temperature and the maximum temperature. Tuber-seed size did not affect the phyllochron of the potato cultivar Asterix, but the method of calculating thermal time and the planting date affected the phyllochron. For the method of calculating thermal time in the phyllochron of the potato cultivar Asterix, it is recommended to use the base temperature and the optimum temperature, because it produced similar phyllochron values in the two growing seasons.

Solanum tuberosum; thermal time; leaf emergence; crop development; plant density