Growth analysis of potato genotypes

ABSTRACT Analyzes of plant growth throughout the crop vegetative cycle are important to know the dynamics of the plant development. Thus the objective of this work was to study the development of potato genotypes throughout the crop cycle, in three environments. Experiments were conducted in Canoinhas-SC, Pelotas-RS, and Brasília-DF, Brazil, in the 2018 crop season. A randomized complete block experimental design with three replicates was used. Traits related to different plant parts of clones F183-08-01 and F50-08-01 and the cv. Asterix were evaluated as a function of time and, at the end of the cycle, for tuber yield. The two clones were found to have high tuber yields, but later development than 'Asterix'; consequently, its management must be adapted to this trait. Leaf mass, leaf number, leaf area index and root mass plus stems were correlated with each other, and leaf area index, leaf number and leaf mass can be quantified through only one of these traits, due to the high correlation between them. There were also positive and significant correlations between the height of the tallest stem and the root plus stem mass and the tuber mass, indicating that more vigorous plants have higher tuber yield.