Physiological aspects of abiotic stress response in potato

Environmental stresses reduce the absolute and marketable yield of potato plants. Evaluating potato cultivars for their agronomic performance in different agrosystems is of primordial importance. Abiotic stresses can affect both foliage and tubers. Here we present a preliminary work describing the in vitro response of potato clones with different genetic backgrounds to abiotic stresses. The effect of cold treatment (10 degrees C and 4 degrees C), of NaCl (100 mM and 200 mM) and of mannitol (200 mM and 300 mM) on survival, fresh and dry mass accumulation, shoot and root elongation and on the accumulation of some soluble carbohydrates was analyzed in two potato clones, one belonging to the Solanum phureja group and the other to S. tuberosum. While the S. phureja clone was more resistant to cold than the S. tuberosum clone, the latter was more resistant to salt stress, as indicated for example by a clear reduction in the survival of the S. phureja clone.