RESEARCH ABOUT INFLUENCE OF VARIETY, CULTURE SUBSTRATE AND NUTRIENT SPACE ON POTATO MINITUBERS PRODUCTION

This study was conducted to determine the minituberization capacity of three Romanian potato varieties. The three-factor experiment included the following factors: A - culture substrate with two graduations: a(1) - 80.00% red peat, 9.90% black peat and 10.10% perlite, a(2) - 84.03% red peat, 7.9% black peat and 8.06% perlite; B: nutrition space, with two graduations: b(1) - 1.5 l, b(2) - 2 l; C: variety, with three graduations: c(1) - Marvis; c(2) - Castrum; c(3) - Ervant. Examination of the results on the number and weight of minitubers/plant suggests the high capacity of the Castrum variety for the production of minitubers, when using increased space nutrition and the substrate consisting of a smaller concentration of red peat (80.00%). Regarding the minitubers number, when it was used the substrate with a higher concentration of red peat (84.03%) the Castrum variety was distinguished in a bigger nutrition space (2 l).