DAMINOZIDE APPLIED TO THE FOLIAGE OF 3 POTATO CULTIVARS INCREASED TUBER EYE NUMBER

The plant growth regulator, daminozide, was applied to the foliage of Ranger Russet, Shepody and Nooksack potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) plan ts at 0, 0.62, 1.25, 2.5 and 5 g product.liter-1 to determine its effe ctiveness in increasing eye number and reducing average tuber weight. Total tuber yields were not affected. Daminozide treatment increased t uber eye number of each cultivar and did not alter the distribution of eyes between the stem and bud ends. After 5 g daminozide.liter-1 trea tment, average eye number of the stem end and bud ends of Nooksack inc reased up to 1.0 eye, by 27% for Shepody and by 31% for Ranger Russet. The largest increases in eye number occurred in Ranger Russet. Howeve r, increasing daminozide concentration caused increased tuber elongati on in Ranger Russet. Average tuber weight decreased significantly in r esponse to daminozide treatment only in Shepody. As a seed tuber produ ction aid, daminozide can be used to increase eye number, and in some cultivars, to reduce average tuber weight.