Response of Potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) Germplasm to Water Stress Under In Vitro Conditions

Chile is center of origin and diversity of potato (Solanum tuberosum L.). Potato yield is affected under water stress conditions, so development of varieties with better tolerance to this stress is desirable. In this study we determined the differential response of INIA-Chile potato germplasm to water stress under in vitro assays with polyethylene glycol. One-hundred-and-fourty-nine genotypes were evaluated. Polyethylene glycol 4.8 % w/v was able to distinguish genotype response by considering the morphological variables (plantlet height, leaf and root number) and fresh and dry weight. Through multivariate statistical analysis, and in comparison with their respective controls without treatment, genotypes were clustered with high (74 – 79 %), intermediate (29 – 94 %), low (29 – 57 %), and very low (4– 28 %) water stress tolerance. The high-tolerance-response cluster was mainly made up of Chilean potato landraces. These results highlight the importance of this germplasm in food security, which could be directly cultivated and/or be used as progenitors to produce new varieties with increased tolerance to water-deficit stress.