Growth Responses of Two Solanum Species to Contrasting Temperatures and Irradiance Levels: Relations to Photosynthesis, Dark Respiration and Chlorophyll Fluorescence

Potato production in the tropical lowlands during the rainy season is constrained by high temperature and low irradiance. This study examined the effect of these two variables on dry matter production and allocation, using plant growth, leaf anatomy, gas exchange and chlorophyll fluorescence measurements. Plants of two clones, Solanum goniocalyx cv. Garhuash Huayro (GH) and DTO-33, a heat tolerant clone of S. tuberosum×S. phureja, were grown in either in growth chambers at 33/25 o C or 20/10 o C day/night temperature (...)