POTATO MINI-TUBER PRODUCTION DURING MAIN AND OFF CROP SEASONS IN HIGH HILLS OF NORTH-WESTERN HIMALAYA

Abstract

In view of the advantages of seed potato production through micro-propagation, the conventional system of breeder seed production involving clonal multiplication is being replaced in a phased manner by micro-propagation techniques at Central Potato Research Institute of India. For the  successful and faster introduction of the new system, attempts were made for the production of mini-tubers during main/kharif season (April to August) as well as during autumn/off season (September – January) in the high hills of north-western Himalaya. After washing and slight trimming of root portion, micro-plants were planted at 30 x 10 cm spacing in the poly-houses. The results revealed that mini-tubers can be produced successfully during both the seasons in all the potato cultivars of hills, however, significant differences were observed between seasons as well as among the cultivars in respect of plant growth and mini-tuber production behaviour. The vigour of the plants in respect of height, number of shoots, compound leaves and haulms weight was much higher during the main/kharif crop season than the autumn (off) season. Number and yield of mini-tubers were also more (177.4 and 1.90 kg/m² respectively) with more number of large sized (>3g) mini-tubers during the main season than the off season (155.5 and 1.59 kg/m²).