POTATO MICROPROPAGATION - GROWTH OF CULTIVARS IN SOLID AND LIQUID-MEDIA

The effect of liquid and solid media on the growth of micropropagated potato shoots (cvs Spunta, Kennebec and Huinkul) was studied in relati on to the availability of nutrients and water in the culture medium. N itrogen and sugar assimilation in the shoot and the water content of t he shoots were evaluated. The water content of the plant tissues was n ot affected by the physical state of the medium. The liquid medium cau sed a greater accumulation of dry matter in the shoot without changing assimilate partition. The liquid medium increased shoot growth withou t affecting the number of nodes. The higher growth rate of shoots in l iquid medium was correlated with increases in their organic nitrogen a nd sugar contents, indicating that nutrient assimilation was favoured in liquid media.