Effect of phytohormones on root development of potato (Solanum tuberosum L.)

Abstract

This research study investigated the effect of phytohormones on root development in three varieties (Barna, Kuroda, and Bartina) of potato (Solanum tuberosum L.). The study was conducted at the Tissue Culture Laboratory, Agriculture Research Directorate, Gilgit. The Murashige and Skoog medium was used as the plant growth medium for the experiments. Different concentrations of indole-3-butyric acid (IBA) and Gibberellic acid (GA3) were supplemented to the medium to find out their effects on root development. The root length, root weight, number of roots, and total root weight were measured as parameters for root proliferation. The addition of IBA and GA3 to the medium resulted in increased root length in all potato varieties. The highest shoot lengths were recorded in the 2 ml IBA treatment, with values of 6.50 cm for Barna, 7.03 cm for Kuroda, and 6.80 cm for Bartina. The tuber weight increased with higher concentrations of GA3 (1 ml, 1.5 ml, and 2 ml) for all three varieties. The highest mean tuber weights were recorded in the 2 ml GA3 treatment, with values of 7.46 g for Barna, 6.20 g for Kuroda, and 6.86 g for Bartina. The research findings suggest that the application of phytohormones specifically IBA and GA₃ can significantly enhance root development in these varieties. The concentration of phytohormones identified in this study may pave the way for the development of targeted and efficient protocols in potato micropropagation ultimately contributing to sustainable and efficient agricultural practices in the future. . Conclusively, these results can contribute to the improvement of potato production through tissue culture techniques. © 2019 The Author(s)