The Impact of High Temperature during Growing Season on Potato Cultivars with Different Response to Environmental Stresses

Abstract

Potato crop is the fourth main food crops in the world after maize, rice and wheat. It is characterized by specific temperature requirements and develops best at about 20°C. Forecasts of global warming prompt us to study the tolerance of potato genotypes to heat during the growing season. The aim of this work was to assess the response of chosen potato cultivars to high temperature during the different stages of plant growth under conditions of good soil moisture and drought. The impact of high temperature 32°C/25°C on potato plants was determined in pot experiment in three growth stages. A main measure of tolerance of the potato cultivars to high temperature during the growing season was an evaluation of the yield in relation to the Control combination. Here we demonstrated that tested potato cultivar’s response to high temperature during the growing season is dependent on the growth stage. The earlier it occurs, the more negative its impact on the growth and yield of potatoes is.