Potato Growth, Yield and Anatomical Changes in Response to Foliar Application with Salicylic Acid, Vitamin B6 and Potassium Silicate During the Winter Season in Ismailia, Egypt

This study was conducted to examine the effects of foliar application with some growth elicitors, i.e., salicylic acid at 100 and 200 ppm, Vitamin B6 at 150 and 300 ppm, and potassium silicate at 150 and 300 ppm on potato plant growth, yield and anatomy under the low temperature prevailing during the winter season in Ismailia, Egypt. Results showed that all chemical treatments resulted in significant increases on the average single leaf areas and chlorophyll content over the control. Results also indicated that treatment with salicylic at 200 ppm had resulted in increased number of tubers/plant and average tuber weight. Similarly, foliar spraying of vitamin B6 at 300 and 150 ppm increased the total tuber yield per plant, followed by treatment with salicylic at 100 ppm. Significant anatomical changes in stem and leaf were observed. All applied growth stimulants significantly increased the main stem diameter, the thickness of the midvein and lamellae as well as the leaf middle vein bundle and vessel diameters compared to the control plants. These results indicated the possibility of alleviating cold stress in potato plants cultivated in the winter season by foliar application with the growth promoting chemicals via affecting several growth characters and tuber yield as well as increase the defence mechanisms of potato plants through induction of anatomical modification in leaf and stem.