SPROUTING RESPONSES OF Solanum tuberosum L. MINITUBERS TO HYDROGEN PEROXIDE AND SALICYLATE TREATMENT

<p><strong>Background:</strong> Little is known about the long-term physiological effects of salicylic acid (SA) and hydrogen peroxide H<sub>2</sub>O<sub>2 </sub>on sprouting potato tubers and their possible short- and long-term effects as signaling molecules. <strong>Objective:</strong> To evaluate the effects of SA and H<sub>2</sub>O<sub>2 </sub>on the control of minituber sprouting. <strong>Methodology:</strong> The following research was carried out at the INIFAP facilities, Sitio Experimental Metepec, Edo. of Mexico. Microplants were transplanted into the soil in a greenhouse and sprayed twice a week with H<sub>2</sub>O<sub>2 </sub>(1, 5 mM) or SA (10<sup>-5</sup>, 10<sup>-6</sup> M), the number and fresh weight of minitubers per plant were evaluated. Subsequently, the minitubers were stored for sprouting, keeping half of each treatment at 8 °C and the other half at 18 °C. After 60 days of storage at 8 °C, the percentage, length and number of shoots per tuber were evaluated. <strong>Results:</strong> Low concentrations of H<sub>2</sub>O<sub>2</sub> and SA significantly improved the sprouting percentage, while high concentrations significantly reduced it. Shoot length was reduced by 40% after treatment with 5 mM H<sub>2</sub>O<sub>2</sub> and 10<sup>-6</sup> M SA. After 60 days of storage at 18 °C, low concentrations of these molecules such as 1 mM H<sub>2</sub>O<sub>2</sub> and 10<sup>-6</sup> M SA reduced the sprouting percentage. The number of shoots per minituber increased by 10<sup>-5</sup> M SA. <strong>Implications:</strong> This work demonstrated the potential of SA and H2O2 for practical application and tuber sprouting research. <strong>Conclusion:</strong> The results suggest that SA and H<sub>2</sub>O<sub>2</sub> induce postharvest physiological effects on the sprouting of minitubers from the moment the plant is in cultivation.</p>