Project

Increasing True Potato Seed (TPS) seedlings survival and robustness in the field

True potato seeds (TPS) have huge potential in national and international potato production because they carry less seedborne pathogens than seed tuber and allow for faster breeding for desired traits and. However, currently rearing seedling from TPS in a nursery greenhouse and transplanting into the field is required. During this procedure seedlings often experience stress in the form of a “transplanting shock”, resulting in reduced growth. The aim of this project is identify biostimulants that are able to enhance seedling robustness and to determine the mechanism behind this increase.

The potential of biostimulants

Reduced growth or even complete decline of seedling transplanted to the field is a direct result of plants being unable to acquire sufficient water and nutrients under abiotic stresses, such as temperature changes, differences in soil conditions and moisture. A number of compounds, i.e. biostimulants, have been found in many studies to improve general plant robustness and stress tolerance, mostly by improving root growth and nutrient use efficiency. Examples are abiotic compounds, such as humic acids, amino acids, seaweed extracts or composts. But also microbial biostimulants, such as different species of Bacillus or Trichoderma, have been effective.

Still, little is known about the about the mode of action of different biostimulants and therefore about the optimal timepoint of application, long-term effects or specific cultivar-dependent interactions. Without this knowledge, the effectiveness of biostimulants will likely remain variable, dependent on unknown factors.

Our approach

In this project, we plan to test the effect of different kinds of biostimulants on increasing root growth of TPS seedlings and robustness in the field. Experiments will range from controlled conditions to field experiment with conditions similar to practice. In these experiments different timepoints of applications and dosages will be tested as well. For biostimulants that enhance seedling robustness, the mode of action will be determined.

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Deliverables

The project will deliver biostimulants and their mode of action and protocols specific for each successful biostimulant for application to improve plant growth from TPS after transplanting.

Our expertise

  • Collection of microbial biostimulants
  • Facilities for high-throughput measurement of plant growth and health
  • Expertise in potato cultivation in vitro, in the greenhouse and in the field

Call for partners

We are looking for partners from industry with an interest in potato starting material and/or biostimulants. This project will take the form of a public-private partnership (Topsector project).

Please be aware that this is not a currently ongoing project. Therefore, we do not currently recruit students to work on this topic.