Drought Tolerance Mechanisms in Potato Cultivation
Summary
The potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) is highly susceptible to water deficit owing to its relatively shallow root system and high transpiration demands. Drought tolerance in potato arises from an interplay of morphological, physiological, biochemical and molecular strategies. Morphologically, genotypes with deeper, more prolific roots and reduced canopy area can access and conserve soil moisture more effectively. Physiologically, control of stomatal aperture limits water loss, while osmotic adjustment via accumulation of compatible solutes—such as proline, glycine betaine and soluble sugars—helps to maintain cell turgor under low water availability. Biochemically, antioxidant enzymes and metabolites scavenge reactive oxygen species generated during stress, protecting membranes and macromolecules. At the molecular level, perception of water deficit triggers abscisic acid signalling, induces transcription factors from NAC, WRKY and bZIP families, and up-regulates genes for aquaporins, late embryogenesis abundant proteins and osmoprotectant synthesis. Quantitative trait loci mapping and association studies have located key genomic regions governing drought tolerance and recovery, enabling marker-assisted selection. Agronomic practices—including optimised irrigation scheduling at critical tuber initiation and bulking stages, soil mulching, nutrient management and foliar application of growth regulators—further enhance resilience. Recent advances in high-throughput phenotyping, notably remote sensing of canopy temperature and chlorophyll content, are accelerating the identification and deployment of drought-tolerant cultivars that deliver stable yields in water-limited environments.
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Drought Tolerance Mechanisms in Potato Cultivation publication trend
The graph below shows the total number of articles in drought tolerance mechanisms in potato cultivation across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).
Technical terms
Osmotic adjustment: The process by which cells accumulate solutes to maintain turgor pressure under water deficit.
Reactive oxygen species: Highly reactive molecules generated during stress that can damage lipids, proteins and DNA.
Quantitative trait loci (QTL): Genomic regions associated with variation in a quantitative characteristic, such as drought tolerance.
Stomatal conductance: The rate at which water vapour exits and carbon dioxide enters leaves through stomata, influencing transpiration.
High-throughput phenotyping: Automated, large-scale measurement of plant traits to accelerate screening and breeding.
References
- Investigating the utility of potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) canopy temperature and leaf greenness responses to water-restriction for the improvement of irrigation management. Agricultural Water Management (2024).
- Effect of Drought Stress on Potato Production: A Review. Agronomy (2022).
- Drought response in field grown potatoes and the interactions between canopy growth and yield. Agricultural Water Management (2018).
- Genetic dissection of drought tolerance and recovery potential by quantitative trait locus mapping of a diploid potato population. Molecular Breeding (2012).
- Coping with drought: stress and adaptive responses in potato and perspectives for improvement. Frontiers in Plant Science (2015).
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