Diploid True Potato Seed: Relationships among Seed Weight, Germination, and Seedling Vigor

The use of true potato seed (TPS) offers many advantages over the tuber pieces used in current potato cropping systems. Hybrid TPS based on diploid inbred lines has the potential to revolutionize the potato industry. In preparation for the transition to TPS, seed productivity traits must be characterized. The present study aims to provide data on seed germination rates and seedling vigor of diploid potatoes. The germplasm for this study consisted of families from a cross between DM1-3 and M6 that have been inbred to varying degrees. Seedling leaf area and percent germination were evaluated on 51 populations across six dates. Positive Pearson correlations were found between seed weight, percent germination, and seedling leaf area. Significant levels of variation were detected between lineages, generations, and lineage by generation interactions using ANOVA for leaf area and percent germination. Families that exhibited vigorous growth by 14-18 days post sowing continued to sustain high growth rates while families that did not exhibit vigorous growth at this time did not experience a drastic increase in growth rate. This timeframe will be an important stage in which to ensure a seedlings health in order to maximize its potential.