GROWTH AND NET PHOTOSYNTHETIC RATE OF SOLANUM-TUBEROSUM INVITRO UNDER FORCED AND NATURAL VENTILATION

Growth and net photosynthetic rate of potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) 'Benimaru' plantlet in vitro were studied under a conventional photomixotrophic condition [with 20 g sucrose/liter in the medium and under 70 mumol.m-2.s-1 photosynthetic photon flux (PPF)] with minimal ventilation (MV) and under photoautotrophic conditions (without sugar in the medium and under 190 mumol.m-2-s-1 PPF) with enhanced natural ventilation using an air diffusive filter (DV) or with forced ventilation (FV). Fresh weight of the plantlets cultured in the FV and DV treatments was 2.4 times that of the plantlets cultured in the MV treatment. Net photosynthetic rate and dry weight per plantlet were the highest in FV followed by DV. For photoautotrophic micropropagation, FV was superior to DV.