Red and blue light-emitting diodes significantly improve in vitro tuberization of potato (Solanum Tuberosum L.)

The tuberization phenomenon in potatoes(Solanum tuberosumL.) is a highly synchronizedmorphophysiological process occurring on the underground stolons under the influence of variousintrinsic and extrinsic factors. This involves the participation of the phytochrome sensory system,transport of sucrose from source to stolon, and several regulatory pathways including tuber-inducinghormone biosynthetic lipoxygenase (StLOX1) geneand major calcium-mediated signaling pathway genes (StCDPKand StCaM1). This study was aimed to explore the impacts of distinctive qualitiesof the light-emitting diode (LED) light with a specific wavelength onin vitrotuberization of potato. Single nodal segments of potato 'Kufri Jyoti' were incubated in vitroon the growth medium at a temperature of22±2°C and exposed to various combinationsof red (R) and blue (B) LED light. The results showed that the combination of 30% red + 70% blue LED light (R30B70) significantly shortened the tuber induction period, increased the numberof tubers, and their yield compared with these parameters in the tissuesexposed to the white light (W100). The induction of the in vitrotuberization correlated with the enhanced expression of the major tuberizing pathway genes, including the lipoxygenase (StLOX1), calmodulin (CaM1), and calcium-dependentprotein kinase (StCDPK). The current study indicated that the combinationof red and blue LED lights at R30B70is the best spectrum for effective in vitrotuberization of potatoes. © 2021 Sciendo. All rights reserved.