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18

Mini-tuber production:

The science behind the process

IN THIS EDITION OF

POTATOES AUSTRALIA

, WE ENTER THE WORLD OF MINI-TUBERS.

THREE OF AUSTRALIA’S LEADING MINI-TUBER PRODUCERS OUTLINE HOW THEIR

SERVICES WORK AND DISCUSS THE IMPORTANCE OF DEVELOPING DISEASE-FREE MINI-

TUBERS FOR THE POTATO INDUSTRY.

Liteisha Lochert said that

the mini-tuber growth cycle

commences in the laboratory,

where a potato tissue culture

plantlet is cut into multiple

pieces and placed into agar

(a jelly-like substance obtained

from algae) to develop a

rooting and shooting system;

finally producing a cultured

potato plantlet.

“It takes 21 days for that plant

to become tall enough so we

can repeat the same process

on it. That’s how we multiply

the volume of plants that we

require,” Ms Lochert said.

“Established plantlets are

then transferred from the agar

growth medium to seed raising

trays to harden off for a further

10 days, after which these

plants are planted to larger

production pots to grow and

develop tubers. After 70 days

the plant tops are removed and

the tubers harvested.

“It takes another 10 days in

the tray and then it goes out

into the pot for another 70

days. If you follow one plant

through the system, from the

day it was first cut, you’d be

looking at around 100 days to

get that one mini-tuber.”

ViCSPA General Manager Dr

Nigel Crump said Toolangi Elite’s

tissue culture collection of both

public and private varieties forms

the initial stage of the mini-tuber

production process.

“We maintain that collection

in high health condition – it’s all

pathogen-tested material, and

we have a team of specialist

tissue culture technicians who

will multiply that up to where it

needs to be based on requests

and orders. From there, we

grow them in our insect-proof

polytunnels and we generally do

two crops a year. We also supply

other laboratories that produce

mini-tubers with tissue culture as

initial stocks or material for their

planting,” Dr Crump said.

M

ini-tuber production is a

detailed and meticulous

process that is the backbone of

the Australian potato industry,

and there is an intricate science

behind the process.

Toolangi Elite, Solan and

Agronico are the biggest

operators of the country’s eight

accredited mini-tuber producers.

Since 2010, ViCSPA has been

running Toolangi Elite in Victoria,

which is known to many as

the birthplace of potato tissue

culture in Australia and where

approximately 50 per cent of the

country’s potatoes start their life.

Solan, owned by Ken Morley

and his wife Deborah, is a

South Australian business

that was established 25 years

ago. Mr Morley was a potato

grower consultant who quickly

discovered the requirement for

clean seed in the industry and

Solan now holds 35 public and

300 private varieties.

Agronico, established by Julian

Shaw in 1985, is a Tasmanian-

based agricultural service

provider that has developed a

mini-tuber production system

that uses hydroponics rather

than a pot-based system, with

much success.

Mini-tuber potato production

underpins the production

of certified seed potatoes in

Australia, and ultimately the

commercial production of high

yielding potato crops. The

technology used ensures a

constant supply of pathogen-

tested mini-tuber stocks can

be produced to supply seed

producers for further field

multiplication. Tissue culture

technology is used in other

commodities as it enables the

rapid build-up of plant material

to give commercial volumes of

plant material.

Solan Business Manager

Toolangi Elite, Solan and Agronico are the biggest operators of the country’s

eight accredited mini-tuber producers. Image courtesy of Agronico.

Mini-tuber production