Alterations in carbohydrate metabolism and enhancement in tuber production in white yam (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Dioscorea rotundata</Emphasis> Poir.) under triadimefon and hexaconazole applications

The present investigation was carried out with an aim to study the effects of two important fungicides/plant growth regulators, triadimefon (TDM) and hexaconazole (HEX) on white yam (Dioscorea rotundata Poir.). Each plant was treated with 1 l of aqueous solution containing 15 mg l^-1 TDM and 10 mg l⁻¹ HEX by soil drenching on 10, 20 and 30 days after planting (DAP). Starch and sugar contents, and the activities of α, β-amylases, sucrose phosphate synthase (SPS), sucrose synthase (SS) and acid invertase (AI) enzymes were estimated from leaf and tuber samples on 45, 60, 75 and 90 DAP. Results showed that TDM and HEX treatments inhibited the α, β-amylase and increased the fresh and dry weights, starch, sugar and sucrose contents and SPS, SS and AI activities in white yam. The data suggests that, the application of triazole fungicides may be a useful tool to increase the tuber quality as well as quantity in white yam plants, apart from their fungicidal properties.     

Reduction of the chloroplastic fructose-1,6-bisphosphatase in transgenic potato plants impairs photosynthesis and plant growth

Transgenic potato plants expressing reduced levels of the chloroplastic isoform of fructose-1,6-bisphosphatase (cp-FBPase) were created via the antisense RNA technique. Transformants with different levels of FBPase activity were selected and analysed with respect to photosynthesis, carbon metabolism, and growth. FBPase activity of less than 15% of wild-type levels led to reduced growth rates, probably due to the reduction of photosynthetic activity. A significant decrease in tuber yield is observed in plants with a FBPase activity below 15% of wild-type levels, whereas plants with 36% of wild-type enzyme activity still give normal tuber yields, even though they demonstrate a lowered photosynthetic capacity. Decreased photosynthesis also results in a reduction of total carbohydrate contents in leaves. Interestingly, increased carbohydrate partitioning towards soluble sugars is observed in plants displaying less than 15% of the wild-type FBPase activity. When excised leaf discs are placed on sucrose-containing media in darkness, discs derived from plants with a reduced FBPase activity accumulate higher amounts of starch. Possible implications are discussed.     

木薯蔗糖合成、转运与块根淀粉积累关系研究

该研究以淀粉含量不同的两个木薯品种(辐选01和华南124)为材料,通过测定各品种不同生育期叶、茎和根的蔗糖含量及块根淀粉含量,分析了蔗糖合成、转运和块根淀粉积累过程的相关性.结果表明:与华南124相比,在整个生育期内辐选01叶、茎的蔗糖含量均较高,块根蔗糖含量在块根膨大初期以前高于华南124,块根膨大初期以后则相反.在木薯的整个生育期,与辐选01相比,华南124的淀粉合成量和淀粉合成速率均较低.叶和茎蔗糖含量的变化规律与淀粉合成速率的变化规律相反,即块根淀粉积累明显加快时叶和茎的蔗糖含量略呈下降趋势,而块根淀粉合成减慢时叶、茎的蔗糖含量又开始上升.随着生育期的延后,块根蔗糖含量越来越低.在块根形成初期,蔗糖含量最高的组织部位为块根,其次为茎秆,最低的是叶片;而在块根成熟期时则相反,即蔗糖含量最高的部位是叶片,其次为茎杆,块根的蔗糖含量最小.相关性分析结果表明,木薯叶片蔗糖含量与块根淀粉含量呈显著的正相关;茎秆蔗糖含量与块根淀粉积累量呈不显著的正相关;块根蔗糖含量与淀粉积累量呈显著的负相关.由此可见,木薯叶、茎和根蔗糖与块根淀粉积累过程密切相关,其中叶片合成蔗糖的能力与块根利用蔗糖的能力在淀粉的积累过程中发挥关键作用.该研究结果为木薯的生产选育与高效栽培提供了理论依据.     

Statistical epistasis between candidate gene alleles for complex tuber traits in an association mapping population of tetraploid potato

Association mapping using DNA-based markers is a novel tool in plant genetics for the analysis of complex traits. Potato tuber yield, starch content, starch yield and chip color are complex traits of agronomic relevance, for which carbohydrate metabolism plays an important role. At the functional level, the genes and biochemical pathways involved in carbohydrate metabolism are among the best studied in plants. Quantitative traits such as tuber starch and sugar content are therefore models for association genetics in potato based on candidate genes. In an association mapping experiment conducted with a population of 243 tetraploid potato varieties and breeding clones, we previously identified associations between individual candidate gene alleles and tuber starch content, starch yield and chip quality. In the present paper, we tested 190 DNA markers at 36 loci scored in the same association mapping population for pairwise statistical epistatic interactions. Fifty marker pairs were associated mainly with tuber starch content and/or starch yield, at a cut-off value of q ≤ 0.20 for the experiment-wide false discovery rate (FDR). Thirteen marker pairs had an FDR of q ≤ 0.10. Alleles at loci encoding ribulose-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase activase (Rca), sucrose phosphate synthase (Sps) and vacuolar invertase (Pain1) were most frequently involved in statistical epistatic interactions. The largest effect on tuber starch content and starch yield was observed for the paired alleles Pain1-8c and Rca-1a, explaining 9 and 10% of the total variance, respectively. The combination of these two alleles increased the means of tuber starch content and starch yield. Biological models to explain the observed statistical epistatic interactions are discussed.     

Effect of staking, nitrogen and potassium on growth and development in lesser yams: Dioscorea esculenta

Dry-matter accumulation was greater in staked than in unstaked plants of the lesser yam (Dioscorea esculenta). Staking, N and K application tended to increase the proportion of dry matter diverted into the tubers. Staking was the most important factor in increasing total tuber production, which was one and a half times greater in staked than in unstaked plants. Leaf-area development was closely and positively related to vine growth, and since staking and N application encouraged vine growth these treatments therefore led to the production of plants with greater leaf area. Leaf-area duration was increased by staking and N application and was closely and positively related to tuber yield. Staking and N application increased tuber number per plant while K application increased the size of individual tubers. Staking and K application increased bulking rate and both treatments increased the period of bulking by causing earlier tuber initiation.     

The contribution of plastidial phosphoglucomutase to the control of starch synthesis within the potato tuber

The aim of this work was to evaluate the extent to which plastidial phosphoglucomutase (PGM) activity controls starch synthesis within potato (Solanum tuberosum L. cv. Desirée) tubers. The reduction in the activity of plastidial PGM led to both a correlative reduction in starch accumulation and an increased sucrose accumulation. The control coefficient of plastidial PGM on the accumulation of starch was estimated to approximate 0.24. The fluxes of carbohydrate metabolism were measured by investigating the metabolism of [U-14C]glucose in tuber discs from wild-type and transgenic plants. In tuber discs the control coefficient of plastidial PGM over starch synthesis was estimated as 0.36, indicating that this enzyme exerts considerable control over starch synthesis within the potato tuber.     

Genetic modification of cassava for enhanced starch production

To date, transgenic approaches to biofortify subsistence crops have been rather limited. This is particularly true for the starchy root crop cassava ( Manihot esculenta Crantz). Cassava has one of the highest rates of CO₂ fixation and sucrose synthesis for any C3 plant, but rarely reaches its yield potentials in the field. It was our hypothesis that starch production in cassava tuberous roots could be increased substantially by increasing the sink strength for carbohydrate. To test this hypothesis, we generated transgenic plants with enhanced tuberous root ADP-glucose pyrophosphorylase (AGPase) activity. This was achieved by expressing a modified form of the bacterial glgC gene under the control of a Class I patatin promoter. AGPase catalyses the rate-limiting step in starch biosynthesis, and therefore the expression of a more active bacterial form of the enzyme was expected to lead to increased starch production. To facilitate maximal AGPase activity, we modified the Escherichia coli glgC gene (encoding AGPase) by site-directed mutagenesis (G336D) to reduce allosteric feedback regulation by fructose-1,6-bisphosphate. Transgenic plants (three) expressing the glgC gene had up to 70% higher AGPase activity than control plants when assayed under conditions optimal for plant and not bacterial AGPase activity. Plants having the highest AGPase activities had up to a 2.6-fold increase in total tuberous root biomass when grown under glasshouse conditions. In addition, plants with the highest tuberous root AGPase activity had significant increases in above-ground biomass, consistent with a possible reduction in feedback inhibition on photosynthetic carbon fixation. These results demonstrate that targeted modification of enzymes regulating source–sink relationships in crop plants having high carbohydrate source strengths is an effective strategy for increasing carbohydrate yields in sink tissues.     

Leaf proteomic analysis in cassava (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Manihot esculenta</Emphasis>, Crantz) during plant development,from planting of stem cutting to storage root formation

Tuberization in cassava (Manihot esculenta Crantz) occurs simultaneously with plant development, suggesting competition of photoassimilate partitioning between the shoot and the root organs. In potato, which is the most widely studied tuber crop, there is ample evidence suggesting that metabolism and regulatory processes in leaf may have an impact on tuber formation. To search for leaf proteins putatively involved in regulating tuber generation and/or development in cassava, comparative proteomic approaches have been applied to monitor differentially expressed leaf proteins during root transition from fibrous to tuberous. Stringent cross comparison and statistical analysis between two groups with different plant ages using Student’s t test with 95% significance level revealed a number of protein spots whose abundance were significantly altered (P < 0.05) during week 4 to week 8 of growth. Of these, 39 spots were successfully identified by ion trap LC–MS/MS. The proteins span various functional categories from antioxidant and defense, carbohydrate metabolism, cyanogenesis, energy metabolism, miscellaneous and unknown proteins. Results suggested possible metabolic switches in the leaf that may trigger/regulate storage root initiation and growth. This study provides a basis for further functional characterization of differentially expressed leaf proteins, which can help understand how biochemical processes in cassava leaves may be involved in storage root development.     

Decreased sucrose content triggers starch breakdown and respiration in stored potato tubers (Solanum tuberosum)

To change the hexose-to-sucrose ratio within phloem cells, yeast-derived cytosolic invertase was expressed in transgenic potato (Solanum tuberosum cv. Desirée) plants under control of the rolC promoter. Vascular tissue specific expression of the transgene was verified by histochemical detection of invertase activity in tuber cross-sections. Vegetative growth and tuber yield of transgenic plants was unaltered as compared to wild-type plants. However, the sprout growth of stored tubers was much delayed, indicating impaired phloem-transport of sucrose towards the developing bud. Biochemical analysis of growing tubers revealed that, in contrast to sucrose levels, which rapidly declined in growing invertase-expressing tubers, hexose and starch levels remained unchanged as compared to wild-type controls. During storage, sucrose and starch content declined in wild-type tubers, whereas glucose and fructose levels remained unchanged. A similar response was found in transgenic tubers with the exception that starch degradation was accelerated and fructose levels increased slightly. Furthermore, changes in carbohydrate metabolism were accompanied by an elevated level of phosphorylated intermediates, and a stimulated rate of respiration. Considering that sucrose breakdown was restricted to phloem cells it is concluded that, in response to phloem-associated sucrose depletion or hexose elevation, starch degradation and respiration is triggered in parenchyma cells. To study further whether elevated hexose and/or hexose-phosphates or decreased sucrose levels are responsible for the metabolic changes observed, sucrose content was decreased by tuber-specific expression of a bacterial sucrose isomerase. Sucrose isomerase catalyses the reversible conversion of sucrose into palatinose, which is not further metabolizable by plant cells. Tubers harvested from these plants were found to accumulate high levels of palatinose at the expense of sucrose. In addition, starch content decreased slightly, while hexose levels remained unaltered, compared with the wild-type controls. Similar to low sucrose-containing invertase tubers, respiration and starch breakdown were found to be accelerated during storage in palatinose-accumulating potato tubers. In contrast to invertase transgenics, however, no accumulation of phosphorylated intermediates was observed. Therefore, it is concluded that sucrose depletion rather than increased hexose metabolism triggers reserve mobilization and respiration in stored potato tubers.     

Antisense repression of cytosolic phosphoglucomutase in potato (Solanum tuberosum) results in severe growth retardation, reduction in tuber number and altered carbon metabolism

The aim of this work was to investigate the role of cytosolic phosphoglucomutase (PGM; EC 5.4.2.2) in the regulation of carbohydrate metabolism. Many in vitro studies have indicated that PGM plays a central role in carbohydrate metabolism; however, until now the importance of this enzyme in plants has not been subject to reverse-genetics investigations. With this intention we cloned the cytosolic isoform of potato PGM (StcPGM) and expressed this in the antisense orientation under the control of the CaMV 35 S promoter in potato plants. We confirmed that these plants contained reduced total PGM activity and that loss in activity was due specifically to a reduction in cytosolic PGM activity. These plants were characterised by a severe phenotype: stunted aerial growth combined with limited root growth and a reduced tuber yield. Analysis of the metabolism of these lines revealed that leaves of these plants were inhibited in sucrose synthesis whereas the tubers exhibited decreased levels of sucrose and starch as well as decreased levels of glycolytic intermediates but possessed unaltered levels of adenylates. Furthermore, a broader metabolite screen utilising GC-MS profiling revealed that these lines contained altered levels of several intermediates of the TCA cycle and of amino acids. In summary, we conclude that cytosolic PGM plays a crucial role in the sucrose synthetic pathway within the leaf and in starch accumulation within the tuber, and as such is important in the maintenance of sink-source relationships.     

Natural DNA variation at candidate loci is associated with potato chip color, tuber starch content, yield and starch yield

Complex characters of plants such as starch and sugar content of seeds, fruits, tubers and roots are controlled by multiple genetic and environmental factors. Understanding their molecular basis will facilitate diagnosis and combination of superior alleles in crop improvement programs (“precision breeding”). Association genetics based on candidate genes is one approach toward this goal. Tetraploid potato varieties and breeding clones related by descent were evaluated for 2 years for chip quality before and after cold storage, tuber starch content, yield and starch yield. Chip quality is inversely correlated with tuber sugar content. A total of 36 loci on 11 potato chromosomes were evaluated for natural DNA variation in 243 individuals. These loci included microsatellites and genes coding for enzymes that function in carbohydrate metabolism or transport (candidate loci). The markers were used to analyze population structure and were tested for association with the tuber quality traits. Highly significant and robust associations of markers with 1–4 traits were identified. Most frequent were associations with chip quality and tuber starch content. Alleles increasing tuber starch content improved chip quality and vice versa. With two exceptions, the most significant and robust associations (q < 0.01) were observed with DNA variants in genes encoding enzymes that function in starch and sugar metabolism or transport. Comparing linkage and linkage disequilibrium between loci provided evidence for the existence of large haplotype blocks in the breeding materials analyzed. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.     

Carbohydrate Metabolism in Tuberizing Stolon Tips of the Strictly Short Day-Dependent Potato Species, Solanum Demissum Lindl.

Abstract: Tuber formation in the strictly short day-dependent potato species Solanum demissum Lindi. was studied. In order to accurately determine the developmental stage of individual stolon tips, a reliable parameter describing tuber formation is defined. Dry matter percentage of stolon tips was highly correlated with starch concentration and with swelling of the stoIon tips, independent of plant age and stolon diameter. Based on this parameter, changes in carbohydrate metabolism during the initial stages of tuber formation were analyzed. Glucose and fructose levels decreased significantly upon tuber formation. This decrease could be explained by a change in sucrose hydrolysis, dominated by acid invertases before tuber formation, and by sucrose synthase afterwards. A model of the temporal and spatial changes in sucrose unloading and hydrolysis in swelling stolon tips is discussed. The observed changes in carbohydrate metabolism are similar to changes observed in a simplified in vitro system, indicating that such model systems adequately reflect tuber development in intact plants.     

Interactive effects of temperature and drought on cassava growth and toxicity: implications for food security?

Cassava is an important dietary component for over 1 billion people, and its ability to yield under drought has led to it being promoted as an important crop for food security under climate change. Despite its known photosynthetic plasticity in response to temperature, little is known about how temperature affects plant toxicity or about interactions between temperature and drought, which is important because cassava tissues contain high levels of toxic cyanogenic glucosides, a major health and food safety concern. In a controlled glasshouse experiment, plants were grown at 2 daytime temperatures (23 °C and 34 °C), and either well‐watered or subject to a 1 month drought prior to harvest at 6 months. The objective was to determine the separate and interactive effects of temperature and drought on growth and toxicity. Both temperature and drought affected cassava physiology and chemistry. While temperature alone drove differences in plant height and above‐ground biomass, drought and temperature × drought interactions most affected tuber yield, as well as foliar and tuber chemistry, including C : N, nitrogen and cyanide potential (CNp; total cyanide released from cyanogenic glucosides). Conditions that most stimulated growth and yield (well‐watered × high temperature) effected a reduction in tuber toxicity, whereas drought inhibited growth and yield, and was associated with increased foliar and tuber toxicity. The magnitude of drought effects on tuber yield and toxicity were greater at high temperature; thus, increases in tuber CNp were not merely a consequence of reduced tuber biomass. Findings confirm that cassava is adaptable to forecast temperature increases, particularly in areas of adequate or increasing rainfall; however, in regions forecast for increased incidence of drought, the effects of drought on both food quality (tuber toxicity) and yield are a greater threat to future food security and indicate an increasing necessity for processing of cassava to reduce toxicity.     

Effect of gibberellic acid on growth and carbohydrate metabolism of developing tubers of potato (Solanum tuberosum)

Potato plants (Solanum tuberosum L. cv. Ostara) were grown in aerated water culture in a controlled environment. When the tubers had reached a diameter of 1–3 cm. ¹⁴C-labelled or unlabelled gibberellic acid (GA₃) was applied to the surface of the stolons at points approximately 1 crn from the developing tubers, and treatment continued for 10 days. - Significant quantities of GA₃ moved into tuber tissue within 2–4 days of hormone application. This influx of GA₃ was accompanied by a marked reduction in both the activity of ADPG-pyrophospharylase and the ratio ADPG-pyrophosphorylase/starch phosphorylase and an increase in the activity of UDPG-pyrophosphorylase. Starch phosphorylase activity initially increased slightly but then fell, whereas the activity of starch synthase remained constant throughout the experiment. The soluble sugar composition of the tubers changed qualitatively towards a pattern characteristic of growing stolon tips prior to tuber initiation, but there was no clear evidence of net starch degradation. Changes in the activities of the enzymes were observed prior to noticeable effects of the hormone on tuber growth rate or the development of new stolons at the tuber eyes. - GA₃- treated tubers imported more ¹⁴C from labelled photosynthate than expected on the basis of growth rate. However, the capacity to convert solub#e-¹⁴C to ethaTiol-insoluble-¹⁴C (predominantly starch) was reduced in comparison with non-treated tubers. - The observed changes in carbohydrate composition and enzyme activities indicate that GA₃ induces a drastic change in potato tuber metabolism towards a pattern characteristic for the termination of the storage process.     

The contribution of adenosine 5′-diphosphoglucose pyrophosphorylase to the control of starch synthesis in potato tubers

The aim of this work was to investigate the extent to which starch synthesis in potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) tubers is controlled by the activity of ADPglucose pyrophosphorylase (EC 2.7.7.27; AGPase). In order to do this, fluxes of carbohydrate metabolism were measured in tubers that had reduced AGPase activity as a result of the expression of a cDNA encoding the B subunit in the antisense orientation. Reduction in AGPase activity led to a reduction in starch accumulation, and an increase in sucrose accumulation. The control coefficient of AGPase on starch accumulation in intact plants was estimated to be around 0.3. The fluxes of carbohydrate metabolism were measured in tuber discs from wild-type and transgenic plants by investigating the metabolism of [U-¹⁴C]glucose. In tuber discs, the control coefficient of AGPase over starch synthesis was estimated as 0.55, while the control coefficient of the enzyme over sucrose synthesis was −0.47. The values obtained suggest that AGPase activity exerts appreciable control over tuber metabolism in potato. Received: 24 February 1999 / Accepted: 8 April 1999     

HPLC-ELSD法分析木薯韧皮部汁液主要糖成分

采用高效液相色谱—蒸发光散射检测法(HPLC-ELSD)对木薯韧皮部汁液糖成分进行了分析.结果表明:与大多数木本植物一样,其同化物的主要运输形式是蔗糖,并未发现糖醇类和棉子糖等寡糖.对块根产量、淀粉含量较低的半野生种W14的对比实验发现,无论是蔗糖还是己糖含量都大大地低于栽培种,说明蔗糖是木薯块根淀粉累积的主要来源,对其累积速率和量起着决定性作用.结果同时证明此方法可以高效、快速简便地定性和定量测定木薯韧皮部汁液中的糖类.     

Direct fermentation of raw starch using a Kluyveromyces marxianus strain that expresses glucoamylase and Alpha‐amylase to produce ethanol

Raw starch and raw cassava tuber powder were directly and efficiently fermented at elevated temperatures to produce ethanol using the thermotolerant yeast Kluyveromyces marxianus that expresses α‐amylase from Aspergillus oryzae as well as α‐amylase and glucoamylase from Debaryomyces occidentalis. Among the constructed K. marxianus strains, YRL 009 had the highest efficiency in direct starch fermentation. Raw starch from corn, potato, cassava, or wheat can be fermented at temperatures higher than 40°C. At the optimal fermentation temperature 42°C, YRL 009 produced 66.52 g/L ethanol from 200 g/L cassava starch, which was the highest production among the selected raw starches. This production increased to 79.75 g/L ethanol with a 78.3% theoretical yield (with all cassava starch were consumed) from raw cassava starch at higher initial cell densities. Fermentation was also carried out at 45 and 48°C. By using 200 g/L raw cassava starch, 137.11 and 87.71 g/L sugar were consumed with 55.36 and 32.16 g/L ethanol produced, respectively. Furthermore, this strain could directly ferment 200 g/L nonsterile raw cassava tuber powder (containing 178.52 g/L cassava starch) without additional nutritional supplements to produce 69.73 g/L ethanol by consuming 166.07 g/L sugar at 42°C. YRL 009, which has consolidated bioprocessing ability, is the best strain for fermenting starches at elevated temperatures that has been reported to date. © 2014 American Institute of Chemical Engineers Biotechnol. Prog., 30:338–347, 2014     

NAD Malic Enzyme and the Control of Carbohydrate Metabolism in Potato Tubers

Potato (Solanum tuberosum) plants were transformed with a cDNA encoding the 59-kD subunit of the potato tuber NAD-dependent malic enzyme (NADME) in the antisense orientation. Measurements of the maximum catalytic activity of NADME in tubers revealed a range of reductions in the activity of this enzyme down to 40% of wild-type activity. There were no detrimental effects on plant growth or tuber yield. Biochemical analyses of developing tubers indicated that a reduction in NADME activity had no detectable effects on flux through the tricarboxylic acid cycle. However, there was an effect on glycolytic metabolism with significant increases in the concentration of 3-phosphoglycerate and phosphoenolpyruvate. These results suggest that alterations in the levels of intermediates toward the end of the glycolytic pathway may allow respiratory flux to continue at wild-type rates despite the reduction in NADME. There was also a statistically significant negative correlation between NADME activity and tuber starch content, with tubers containing reduced NADME having an increased starch content. The effect on plastid metabolism may result from the observed glycolytic perturbations.     

Enhancing vacuolar sucrose cleavage within the developing potato tuber has only minor effects on metabolism

Modification of tuber carbohydrate metabolism by the tuber-specific expression of a yeast invertase targeted to the cytosol or apoplast has previously been demonstrated to have diverse effects on tuber growth and metabolism. In the current study, we generated plants exhibiting tuber-specific expression of the same enzyme targeted to the vacuole. Enzymatic analysis of the carbohydrate levels of the tuber revealed dramatic decreases in sucrose content coupled with large increases in the levels of glucose and hexose phosphates, but unaltered starch content in the transformants. Analysis of the key enzyme of glycolysis suggests that this pathway is down-regulated in the transformants. Despite these changes in metabolite pools and enzyme activity, few consistent changes could be observed in the estimated metabolic fluxes following incubation of isolated tuber discs in labelled glucose. The analysis of the relative levels of a wide range of metabolites using a gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS)-based metabolite profiling method revealed large changes in the levels of fructose and decreases in a range of other sugars, but very few changes in the contents of organic and amino acids. This metabolic profile is remarkably consistent with that obtained following expression of the invertase in the apoplastic compartment, providing circumstantial evidence for the endocytotic trafficking of sugars within potato tuber parenchyma. Finally, the results of this study are compared with those from other plant species and the relative roles of the vacuolar isoform of the enzyme are contrasted.     

Potato Seed-tuber Age Affects Mobilization of Carbohydrate Reserves During Plant Establishment

During the early stages of growth, developing sprouts rely heavilyupon tuber carbohydrate reserves. Strong sprouts are producedfrom young potato (Solaman tuberosum L.) seed-tubers, whereastubers of advanced physiological age produce sprouts with reducedvigour. Single-eye seedcores from 7- and 19-month-old seed-tuberswere sprouted in order to study the effect of tuber age on carbohydratereserve mobilization. Following 24 d of growth, the same amountof total shoot dry matter was produced from both ages of seedcores.However, d. wt of individual shoots from older seedcores was93 % lower than that from younger cores, reflecting a significantloss in apical dominance with age. Furthermore, core d. wt lossper unit gain in plant d. wt was greater from 19-month-old seedcores,indicating an age-related decrease in the efficiency of reservemobilization over the growth interval. During sprouting, ratesof starch hydrolysis and subsequent increases in total solublecarbohydrates were similar for both tuber ages. Reducing sugars(mg g d. wt^–1) accumulated faster in older than in youngercores; non-reducing sugars (mainly sucrose) decreased 53% inolder seedcores over the 24 d growth interval. Non-reducingsugar content (mg g d. wt^–1, mg core^–1) of youngercores remained constant. The results suggest that older coresare either less efficient at converting glucose to sucrose (themain translocatable carbohydrate in potatoes) or have higherrates of sucrose hydrolysis (e.g. increased invertase activity)compared with younger tuber tissues during sprouting Potatoes (Solanum tuberosum L.), seed-tuber age, carbohydrate mobilization, plant growth potential