The growth and productivity of potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) in photoculture

Potato ( Solanum tuberosum L.) is one of the most valuable agricultural plants, which explains high interest in its optimal cultivating conditions study. Potato productivity in the conditions of northern latitudes can be greatly enhanced due to the use of additional light sources. The review focuses on the problem of optimal parameters selection of supplementary lighting: the intensity of the luminous flux, length of photoperiod, pulse and continuous regimes of illumination and spectral structure.The article observes the influence of light intensity and the length of photoperiod on the growth and development of potato plantlets. It also reveals the problem of selection of optimal conditions in connection with cultivar-specific reactions of plants. The question of usefulness of applying pulse and combined regimes of illumination in photoculture is discussed in terms of productivity enhancing and electricity saving. The study gives experimental data from different authors on the influence of various light spectrums on the growth and development of plants and the pigment synthesis. The choice of illumination with wide spectral characteristics and a certain ratio of separate spectrums intensity is justified. The possibility of applying short-time UV radiation for potato plantlets was revealed as a way to stimulate the growth and biosynthetic processes. Infrared radiation can be useful for thermoregulation of optimal conditions for photosynthesis and other physiological processes.