Abstract
In the field or during storage, potato sprouts sometimes form new small tubers instead of to elongate normally. The authors studied the mechanism of the abnormal sprout formation by at-tempting to induce artificially those sprouts. The results obtained were as follows.
1. The factors favorable to induce the abnormal sprout were those conditions such as inhibition of sprout elongation, decrease of number of healthy sprouts, damage of the terminal bud, unfavorable storage conditions, and physical resistance of soil.
2. Varieties were classified by the frequency of their abnormal sprout formation as follows:
Frequent…Benimaru, Pawnee, Shimakei No. 30, Menominee, Triumph
Medium…Irish Cobbler, 529-1
Rare…Chitose, Norin No. 1, Norin No. 2
None…Hokkai No. 1, Hokkai No. 2 Kennebec
3. The varieties which formed slender sprouts had tendency to form the abnormal sprouts frequently. Length of rest period seemed to have some relation to the tendency, too. Age of seed potato and earliness of maturity had no relation. Fairely high but not constant correlation was found between the property to form secondary growth of tuber and the tendency to form the abnormal sprouting.
4. The abnormal sprouting was induced by the treatment of potassium indole acetate. It seemed that its formtion related to the activation and accumulation of growth hormone.
