Yeast as a Foliar Bio-Stimulant Improves True Potato Seed (TPS) and Berry Traits and Yield in ´Naima´ and ´Eclat´ Potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) Cultivars

Abstract

This study evaluated the bio-stimulatory effect of yeast foliar application (0, 10, and 20 g·L⁻¹) on true potato seed (TPS) and berry productivity in two potato cultivars (Naima and Eclat) under Mediterranean climatic conditions (400 mm annual rainfall; 15.5°C mean temperature) in Ram Hamdan, Syria (2023–2024). Using a CRD design with five replicates, results revealed significant differences (p < 0.05): Eclat outperformed Naima in floral density (62.9 vs. 41.16 flowers·plant⁻¹ at 10 g·L⁻¹), berry count (21.8 berry·plant⁻¹), and TPS yield (1.94 g·plant⁻¹), achieving the highest area-based productivity (77.7 kg·ha⁻¹). Conversely, Naima exhibited superior berry weight (5.26 g·berry⁻¹ at 20 g·L⁻¹), reflecting enhanced dry matter partitioning. Yeast application also improved vegetative growth (3.6 stems·plant⁻¹; 182.2 cm² leaf area·plant⁻¹ for Naima at 10 g·L⁻¹) and accelerated flowering (43.4 vs. 49.8 days in control). Seed physiological quality peaked at 10 g·L⁻¹ (65.2% germination for Eclat). The interaction analysis highlighted cultivar-specific optima: 10 g·L⁻¹ for Eclat vs. 20 g·L⁻¹ for Naima. These findings advocate yeast as a viable bio-stimulant for TPS production, particularly in high-yielding cultivars like Eclat, with tailored concentration recommendations (10 g·L⁻¹ for Eclat; 20 g·L⁻¹ for Naima) under Mediterranean conditions.

Country : Syria

1 Bashar Najjar2 Prof. Dr. Rida DRAIE

  1. Horticulture Department, Faculty of Agricultural Engineering, Idlib University, SYRIA
  2. Horticulture Department, Faculty of Agricultural Engineering, Idlib University, SYRIA

IRJIET, Volume 9, Issue 5, May 2025 pp. 1-13

doi.org/10.47001/IRJIET/2025.905001

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