Is dormancy breaking of potato tubers the reverse of tuber initiation?

Tuber formation is a well orchestrated physiological event that involves ma ny metabolic changes. Dormancy gradually develops in potato tubers from the moment cell division in the stolen tip has stopped and the tuber starts to develop. Dormancy breakage may be the reverse of dormancy initiation sugge sting that there may be similarities between tuber induction and dormancy d evelopment. Based on a literature review it is concluded that, when comparing tuber ind uction and the breaking of dormancy, hormonal activities are only partly re versed, whereas carbohydrates and enzyme activities might be reversed. For more definite conclusions more research should be done to assess precis ely the moment of dormancy breaking. Moreover, measurements on events assoc iated with tuber induction and dormancy breaking should be carried out usin g the same techniques and the same material. Molecular genetic analyses may provide well-defined markers for the timing of breaking of dormancy.