1Central Potato Research Station, Modipuram-250 110, Meerut, (U.P.).
2Central Potato Research Institute, Shimla-171 001, (H.P.).
*CPRI Publication No. 1586. Paper presented in the 2nd International Crop Science Congress, Crop Productivity and Sustainability-Shaping the Future, 17–24 November 1996, New Delhi.
An attempt was made to investigate the effect of water stress on photosynthesis and tuber yield in potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) cv Kufri Chandramukhi in winter crop during 1992–93 and 1993–94 at tuber initiation and tuber bulking stage. Water stress caused a reduction in the rate of photosynthesis which was more at tuber initiation (40%) than at tuber development stage (30%). Leaf area declined more drastically at tuber initiation stage (35%). When plants were stressed at both tuber initiation and development stages there was 31% reduction in leaf area compared to control. Reduction in tuber yield due to stress was higher (19%) at tuber initiation stage. The cumulative stress, both at initiation and oevelopment stages showed highly reduced tuber yield (23%). These results indicate that the plants with tubers are able to cope better with water stress than the plants having no tubers.
