IMPROVING HEAT STRESS TOLERANCE IN POTATO (SOLANUM TUBEROSUM) L.

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

1 Department of Genetic Resources, Desert Research Center, El-Matareya, Cairo, Egypt.

2 Department of Genetic Resources, Desert Research Center, Cairo, Egypt

3 In Vitro Storage Plant and Cryopreservation, National Gene Bank, Agricultural Research Center

Abstract

Heat stress is one of the major abiotic stresses affecting potato growth and productivity in semi-arid and growing zones. Using new biotechnology approaches and application of nanomaterials could improve the productivityand profitability of potato.Silicon nanoparticles(SiO2NPs)responsible for improvements lead finally to the enhancement of plant growth and productivity under salinity, drought, and heavy metal stresses.In this study, the effectiveness of SiONPs at 5, 10 and 20 ppm under different levels of heat of 25, 35 and 45°C on growth and biochemical parameters was in vitrostudied, for four potato cultivars.Results referred to the superiority of Agria, which was positively and significantly affected by SiO2NP treatments followed by Hermes, and Cara. On the other hand, there was no significant effect of SiO2NPs on Diamond cv, under different heat levels. At 45°C, Agria cv. produced the highest value of microtubers weight and length at 0, 5, 10 and 20 ppm of SiONPs, followed by Diamond with SiO2NPs of 5 and 20 ppm. The heighest vegetative characteristics of Agria were 14.67 cm for shoot length, 7.00 cm for shoots/explant, 5 cm for root length, and 10.33 for roots number/ explant, at 35°C with 10 ppm SiO2NPs. About harvesting, for the same cultivar, microtubersweight was 0.89, 0.79 and 0.93 g at 45°C, without significant differences among SiO2NPs.Microtubers number was 5.33 by 5 ppm at 25°C. Microtubers length was 1.43 cm with 5 and10 ppm SiO2NPs at 45°C.  For microtubers diameter, there was no significant effect among SiO2NPs at all heat levels. Also, glutathione higher value was obtained by 5 ppm at 45oC. Concerning lipid peroxidation level, the lowest level of the toxic product malondialdehyde (MDA) was obtained by 0 ppm, increased in other treatments at 25oC. At 35oC, the minimum level of MDA was recorded by 20 ppm and in general the highest temperature applied (45oC) increased MDA accumulation.

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