In vitro effects of GA3 on morphogenesis of CIP potato explants and acclimatization of plantlets in field

Improvement of potato has been accomplished using conventional and non-conventional approaches coupled with numerous tissue culture procedures. The aim of the present study was to assess the efficacy of gibberellic acid (GA(3)) on the morphogenesis of International Potato Center (CIP) potato explants and acclimatization of plantlets in the field. Nodal segments as an explant source (1-1.5 cm) were isolated from 31 CIP potato plantlets and were inoculated into Murashige and Skoog (MS) medium supplemented with 0.0 (control), 0.1, 0.5, or 1.0 mg L(-1)of GA(3). The variation in growth parameters of the cultivars was then observed. The highest shoot induction occurred in MS medium containing 1.0 mg L-1 GA(3) with an increase in the inter-nodal distance between nodes as compared to other treatments. Higher concentration (1.0 mg L-1) of GA(3) significantly increased plant height and root length in the treated germplasm however; this concentration was inhibitory to the number of nodes and roots per plant. The number of leaves was significantly increased in plants receiving GA(3) treatment at lower concentration (0.1 mg L-1). The 31 CIP genotypes were transplanted to the field and checked for yield quality traits. It was concluded from the results that GA(3) had significant effects on morphogenesis and was effective in the acclimatization of CIP potato plantlets in field.