The Effects of Blue Light at 440 nm on Potato Tuberization for Solanum tuberosum L. cv. Desiree and L. cv. Norland

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The Effects of Blue Light at 440 nm on Potato
Tuberization for Solanum tuberosum L. cv. Desiree
and L. cv. Norland

• Erin Austad 2003-04

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Background

• Effect of blue light on
• Callus
• Tubers
• Entire Plant

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• Light has one of the greatest effects
• Plants absorb mostly blue and red light
• Wavelength determines color of tubers
• A previous experiment by Tong et al. found that
  Desiree formed pink tubers under blue light and
  white tubers in darkness
• Tong et al. also found that Norlands formed no
  tubers under blue light and red tubers in
  darkness
• Somatic mutations react differently and are rare

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Goals

• Grow a somatic mutation
• Find differential responses

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Methods Somatic Mutations

• Started with 1 Norland, 1 Red Norland and 1 Dark
  Red Norland
• Performed subcultures
• Grew plants in solid media for 2 weeks
• Took 25 2-week old plants from each variety
• Transferred to liquid media
• Grew plants under blue light at 440 nm for 8 weeks

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Methods Somatic Mutations (cont.)

• Looked for
• Callus
• Callus color
• Tubers
• Tuber color

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Results Cloned Norland Plants
Weeks Under Blue Light With Callus Callus Color of Plants With Tubers Tuber Color
1 12 White 0 -
2 12 White 0 -
3 24 White 0 -
4 29 White/Pink 0 -
5 35 White/Pink 0 -
6 41 White/Pink 1 White
7 41 White/Pink 1 White/Green
8 65 White/Pink 1 White/Green
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Results Cloned Red Norland Plants
Weeks Under Blue Light With Callus Callus Color of Plants With Tubers Tuber Color
1 10 White 0 -
2 10 White 0 -
3 50 White 0 -
4 65 White/Pink 0 -
5 75 White/Pink 0 -
6 75 White/Pink 0 -
7 75 White/Pink/Red 1 Pink
8 90 White/Pink/Red 1 Pink/Purple
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Results Cloned Dark Red Norland Plants
Weeks Under Blue Light With Callus Callus Color of Plants With Tubers Tuber Color
1 0 - 0 -
2 0 - 0 -
3 15 White 0 -
4 25 White 0 -
5 35 White 0 -
6 40 White/Pink 0 -
7 40 White/Pink 0 -
8 50 White/Pink 0 -
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Conclusion Norland, Red Norland, and Dark Red
Norland Clones

• Many plants produced callus as they spent more
  time growing
• Norland and Dark Red Norland clones grew white
  and pink callus under blue light
• Red Norland clones grew white, pink, and red
  callus under blue light
• Cloned plants seemed to produce the same color
  callus as plants that were not cloned

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Methods Blue Light vs. Darkness for Norland
Plants
Potato Plant Set Number of Norland Plants Weeks Under Blue Light Weeks in Darkness
Set A 5 0 10
Set B 5 2 8
Set C 5 4 6
Set D 5 6 4
Set E 5 8 2
Set F 5 10 0
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Results Blue Light vs. Darkness for Norland
plants
Potato Plant Set Weeks Under Blue Light Weeks in Darkness With Callus Callus Color With Tubers Tuber Color
Set A 0 10 75 White/Pink 0 -
Set B 2 8 100 White - on top Red - base 0 -
Set C 4 6 75 White - on top Red - base 0 -
Set D 6 4 75 White - on top Red - base 0 -
Set E 8 2 40 White - on top Red - base 0 -
Set F 10 0 75 White - top Red - base 0 -
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Conclusion Blue Light vs. Darkness for Norland
Plants

• There was no tuberization, only callus
• Callus was white on top and red near base
• Tuberization will not occur under blue light for
  Norland potatoes
• Tubers will not grow after 8-10 weeks

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Methods Blue Light vs. Darkness for Desiree
Plants
Potato Plant Set Number of Desiree Plants Weeks Under Blue Light Weeks in Darkness
Set A 5 0 10
Set B 5 2 8
Set C 5 4 6
Set D 5 6 4
Set E 5 8 2
Set F 5 10 0
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Results Blue Light vs. Darkness for Desiree
Plants
Potato Plant Set Weeks Under Blue Light Weeks in Darkness With Callus Callus Color With Tubers Tuber Color
Set G 0 10 75 White 25 White
Set H 2 8 100 White 50 White/Green
Set I 4 6 50 White 75 White/Green
Set J 6 4 75 White 75 White/Green/Pink
Set K 8 2 80 White/ Pink 40 White/Green/Pink
Set L 10 0 20 White 20 White/Green
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Conclusion Blue Light vs. Darkness for Desiree
Plants

• All sets of plants produced tubers
• Desiree plants exposed to blue light from 4-6
  weeks and darkness for 4-6 weeks produced the
  most tubers
• Tubers were white, green, and pink
• Callus was mostly white and pink
• Tubers grown under blue light were not ideal

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Further Study

• Study whether or not plants are true somatic
  mutations
• See if plants grow differently in larger test
  tubes or in magenta boxes
• Try grafting experiment

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Acknowledgements

• I would like to thank Dr. Cindy Tong and Katie
  Goeden for their wonderful support and for
  sharing their knowledge in the lab
• I would also like to thank Ms. Fruen and Team
  Research for their help with my paper and project

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The Effects of Blue Light at 440 nm on Potato
Tuberization for Solanum tuberosum L. cv. Desiree
and L. cv. Norland

• Erin Austad 2003-04