Seed potato production using advanced biotechnological and hydroponic techniques

Seed potato production is dependent on in vitro plantlets, microtubers, and their propagation in the substrate culture or in the field for minituber production. Currently, most shoot, microtuber and minituber propagation systems are suffering from inefficiencies regarding low propagation rate and quality. Conventional methods of seed potato production require 5-7 generations in the field, which leads to the degeneration in seed potato quality due to soil-borne diseases. The aim of these researches was to develop a methodology of efficient plantlets, microtuber and minituber production throughout raising the shoot and microtuber propagation rate, producing larger sized microtubers that could be acceptable to the producers as well as produce minitubers with a high propagation rate and quality. In addition, different propagation strategies of the first field seed potato production were compared to determine the most appropriate strategy for commercial seed potato production.