EFFECT OF GAMA RAYS ON VEGETATIVE GROWTH AND MICROTUBERIZATION FOR TWO GENOTYPES OF POTATO Solanum tuberosum L. UNDER SALT STRESS

Abstract

The effect of Gama rays on morphological characterizes of vegetativegrowth and microtuberization for two genotypes of Potato (Riviera and Bureen)were studied after planting at different levels of salt (6,8, 10 and 12 dS m-1),Microtuberization ability also studied under greenhouse condition. Resultsshowed the inverse relation between increasing salt levels with number of shoots,roots length and plant height. The positive effect of radiation dose was alsoobserved in improving tuber forming under saline levels compared with salt-freemedium for all studied traits. The results of green house indicated the differencesin the behavior of cultivated plants, the plants of non- irradiated Riviera andirradiated Riviera genotypes (in vitro cultivated at 6 dS m-1) were superior in %tuberization and mean weight of tubers reached 100% and 0.88 gm respectively,While plants of irradiated and non irradiated Bureen genotypes (in vitrocultivated at 6 dS m-1) were Superior in mean number and diameter of tubersreached 2.00 tuber/plant and 0.99 cm respectively as compared with other plants.