INDUCTION OF IN-VITRO TUBERIZATION OF POTATO MICROPLANTS BY ACETYLSALICYLIC-ACID

This paper describes the effects of acetylsalicylic acid (ASA) as a gr owth inhibitor and tuberization promoter on microplants of potato (Sol anum tuberosum ns Russet Burbank) cultured in vitro. Stem growth was s ignificantly inhibited by ASA at 10(-4)-10(-3) mol/L. The tuber-induci ng effects of ASA on microplant shoot explants were compared with thos e of a standard tuberization medium that contained chlorocholine chlor ide (CCC) and benzylaminopurine (BAP). Substitution of ASA (10(-5)-7.5 x 10(-4) mol/L) for the growth inhibitor CCC in this medium produced up to 100 % tuberization of microplant shoots. When these compounds we re each tested as the sole plant growth regulator in the medium, ASA o r BAP induced 40 to 70 % tuberization, but CCC alone was ineffective.