Understanding ageing processes in seed potatoes

Abstract

The physiological quality of seed tubers is very important for the performance of the crop grown from them, and interacts strongly with seed tuber size. Physiological quality consists of two components: dormancy and physiological age. This chapter reviews the conditions which influence both dormancy and physiological age, and the effects of seed quality on various aspects of crop performance. Future research should aim for a reliable, cheap indicator of physiological age that can predict the performance of the crop grown from the seed under different conditions and for different outlets.