Abstract
Volunteer potatoes are a major weed problem in potato rotations in regions with mild winter soil temperatures. Freezing dynamics of potato tubers in air have been previously reported, but freezing dynamics of tubers in soil may differ due to ice nucleation sites and soil water associated with soil. Laboratory experiments conducted in hydrated and dry soil columns and field experiments were conducted to determine cold temperatures required to kill potato tubers in soil. Potato tubers in air-dried soil columns exposed to decreasing temperatures typically supercooled to −3 to −7 C before exhibiting a distinct exotherm, which stabilized at −1.4 to −1.5 C, representing the freezing point of tubers. Tubers that were supercooled and removed from the cold environment before experiencing this exotherm were able to sprout and had no visual symptoms of freezing injury, whereas tubers that experienced the exotherm were nonviable and unable to sprout. Tubers in soil columns hydrated to 7% SWC supercooled much less than tubers in dry soil and exhibited an exotherm that stabilized near −1.9 C. Tubers exposed to temperatures near the tuber-freezing point (−1.4 to −1.9 C) for periods of 1 min to 24 h, but not undergoing an exotherm, exhibited varying degrees of injury, which increased with time of exposure. Tubers held at −1.0 C for 4 to 24 h were unharmed and able to sprout similar to controls. In field trials conducted from 1993 to 1999 in the Columbia Basin of Washington, tubers buried at shallow depths (5 cm) were much more likely to experience lethal cold temperatures than tubers buried deeper. In general, when minimum soil temperature at tuber depth reached −1.5 to −1.9 C or lower, some tuber mortality occurred and when soil temperature at tuber depth reached −2.8 C or lower, extensive tuber death occurred. Monitoring of winter soil temperatures by depth in potato- growing regions could be used to predict severity of volunteer potato for the subsequent growing season.
Resumen
Las plantas voluntarias constituyen un problema mayor de malezas en las rotaciones de papa, en regiones con temperaturas moderadas de suelo durante el invierno. La dinámica de congelamiento al aire de los tubérculos ha sido reportada previamente, pero la dinámica de congelamiento de los tubérculos en el suelo puede ser diferente debido a los lugares de concentración de hielo y de agua asociada con el suelo. Se realizaron experimentos de laboratorio en columnas de suelo seco e hidratado y experimentos en campo para determinar las temperaturas requeridas para matar los tubérculos de papa en el suelo. Los tubérculos de papa en columnas de suelo secado al aire expuestos a temperaturas típicamente decrecientes, enfriados a −3 hasta −7 antes de que mostraran exotermia visible, la cual estabilizada a 1.4 y 1.5 representa el punto de congelación de los tubérculos. Los tubérculos que fueran superenfriados y sacados del ambiente frío, fueron capaces de brotar y no presentaron síntomas visuales de daño por congelamiento, mientras que los tubérculos que experimentaron exotermia no estaban viables y por tanto no fueron capaces de brotar. Los tubérculos en columnas de suelo hidratadas al 7% SWC mucho menos superenfriados que los tubérculos en suelo seco exhibieron una exotermia que se estabilizó cerca de −1.9 C. Los tubérculos expuestos a una temperatura cercana al punto de congelamiento (−1.4 a −1.9 C) por periodos de 1 min a 24 h, pero que no experimentaron exotermia, exhibieron varios grados de daño, que se intensificó con el tiempo de exposición. Los tubérculos mantenidos a −1.0 por 4 a 24 h no sufrieron daños y fueron capaces de brotar igual que los controles. En pruebas de campo realizadas de 1993 a 1999 en la cuenca de Columbia, Washington, los tubérculos enterrados superficialmente (5cm) estuvieron posiblemente mas expuestos a temperaturas frías letales que los tubérculos enterrados profundamente. En general, cuando la temperatura mínima del suelo Ilegó de −1.5 a −1.9 C o menores ocurrió alguna muerte de tubérculos y cuando la temperatura del suelo alcanzó por debajo de −2.8 C se produjo muerte masiva de los tubérculos. El monitoreo de la temperatura del suelo en invierno, por profundidades, en las regiones de cultivo de papa, podría ser utilizado para predecir la severidad de presencia de papas voluntarias en la siguiente época de cultivo.
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Abbreviations
- SLE:
-
special limit of error
- SWC:
-
soil water content
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Boydston, R.A., Seymour, M.D., Brown, C.R. et al. Freezing behavior of potato (Solanum tuberosum) tubers in soil. Am. J. Pot Res 83, 305–315 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02871591
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02871591