observation on growth rate of potato plant
Answers
Answer:
The potato has five primary stages of development during its short life cycle, lasting between three to four months. Because the potato grows underground, not all of the changes that take place are visible.
They are as follows
1. Sprouting
During the first stage, the eyes from the potato piece develop sprouts which emerge from the ground. These sprouts become the visible, above-ground portion of the potato plant, the stems and leaves. During this stage, the piece of potato is the only source of nutrition for the plant. The temperature of the soil will affect how long this stage takes and sprouting will not happen if the soil temperatures are too close to freezing.
Vegetative State
This second or vegetative stage of the potato's growth cycle is when the visible portion of the plant emerges and develops. The leaves, stem and root system of the plant grow and photosynthesis begins, providing nourishment for the growing plant. During this stage, warmer temperatures of 77 degrees Fahrenheit or more and long days of 14 to 18 hours of sunlight are preferred. The sprouting and the vegetative states combined can last from 30 to 70 days.
Tuber Initiation
The tubers begin forming at the stolon tips of the potato plant, but they are not yet enlarging at this stage. The stolon tips are the underground stems and most of the potato mass lies 18 to 24 inches below the soil surface. The shallow location of the tubers means that sufficient water is very important to healthy potato growth. Along with watering, photosynthesis continues to nourish the plant and nutrients are stored in these early tubers in preparation for the next stage, when they begin to bulk up. This tuber initiation period will last for about 2 weeks. For most potato varieties, this is the period when the plant also begins to flower.
Tuber Bulking
The tuber cells expand and grow significantly in the next stage. There is a buildup of carbohydrates, water and other nutrients in the tubers. This stage lasts the longest, taking up to three months to complete, depending on the growing conditions and type of potato plant. During this period, the plant prefers cooler temperatures and shorter days.
Maturation
Photosynthesis now begins to slow down, leading to yellowing vines and fallen leaves. As the potato tubers continue to bulk up during this period, the visible portion of the plant will slowly die. However, if the potato variety has a longer life cycle than the growing season, the maturation stage may not fully finish before harvest needs to take place. As the potato plant progress through this stage, the skin of the potato toughens up, making it more storage friendly.
Explanation:
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