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Modeling the Effects of Light, Carbon Dioxide, and Temperature on the Growth of Potato

Department of Horticulture, 1575 Linden Dr., Wisconsin Agric. Exp. Stn., Univ. of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53706

^* Corresponding author.

This study examined the effects of light, temperature and carbon dioxide on the growth of potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) in a controlled environment in order to ascertain the best growing conditions for potato in life support systems in space. ‘Norland’ and ‘Russet Burbank’ were grown in 6-L pots of peat-vermiculite for 56 d in growth chambers at the University of Wisconsin Biotron. Environmental factor levels included continuous light (24-h photoperiod) at 250, 400, and 550 µmol m^–2 s^–1 PPF; constant temperature at 16, 20, and 24 °C; and CO₂ at approximately 400, 1000 and 1600 µL L^–1. Separate effects analysis and ridge analysis provided a means to examine the effects of individual environmental factors and to determine combinations of factors that are expected to give the best increases in yields over the central design point. The response surface of Norland indicated that tuber yields were highest with moderately low temperature (18.7 °C), low CO₂ (400 µL L^–1) and high light (550 µmol m^–2 s^–1 PPF). These conditions also favored shorter stem growth. Russet Burbank tuber yields were highest at moderately low temperature (17.5 °C), high CO, (1600 µL L^–1) and medium light (455 µmol m^–2 s^–1 PPF). Models generated from these analyses will be used to project the most efficient conditions for growth of potatoes in closed ecological life support systems (CELSS) in space colonies.

Received for publication June 26, 1987.