Abstract

The aim of the research was to study the growth and development of meristematic potato plants in different lighting conditions. Regenerants of seven varieties were cultivated in the standard Murashige and Skoog medium for 30 days with a 16-h photoperiod with lighting by fluorescent lamps (control), LED lamps and sodium-vapor lamps. The varieties Granada, Grand, Ilyinsky and Lizanne showed no significant differences in the length of regenerants grown under LED lighting in comparison with the control. The analysis of the average number of internodes and the number of roots per meristematic plant did not reveal significant differences in these parameters between the plants grown under different types of lighting. The lighting type practically had no influence on variability of these features. The variability of the number of internodes was almost entirely determined by genotypic factors; the length of the root system was determined by genotypic and environmental factors. The study demonstrated the possibility of growing meristematic potato plants with the use of LED lighting. It enables optimization of production of potato plants in vitro and reduction of the cost of the original seed material.