Utilization of white potatoes in CELSS.
Potatoes (Solanum tuberosum) have a strong potential as a useful crop species in a functioning CELSS.  The cultivar Denali has produced 37.5 g m-2 d-1 when grown for 132 days with the first 40 days under a 12-h photoperiod and a light:dark temperature cycle of 20 degrees C:16 degrees C, and then 92 days under continuous irradiance and a temperature of 16 degrees C.  Irradiance was at 725 micromoles m-2 s-1 PPF and carbon dioxide at 1000 micromoles mol-1.  The dried tubers had 82% carbohydrates, 9% protein and 0.6% fat.  Other studies have shown that carbon dioxide supplementation (1000 micromoles mol-1) is of significant benefit under 12-h irradiance but less benefit under 24 h irradiance.  Irradiance cycles of 60 minutes light and 30 minutes dark caused a reduction of more than 50% in tuber weight compared to cycles of 16 h light and 8 h dark.  A diurnal temperature change of 22 degrees C for the 12-h light period to 14 degrees C during the 12-h dark period gave increased yields of 30% and 10% for two separate cultivars, compared with plants grown under a constant 18 degrees C temperature.  Cultivar screening under continuous irradiance and elevated temperatures (28 degrees C) for 8 weeks of growth indicated that the cvs Haig, Denali, Atlantic, Desiree and Rutt had the best potential for tolerance to these conditions.  Harvesting of tubers from plants at weekly intervals, beginning at 8 weeks after planting, did not increase yield over a single final harvest.  Spacing of plants on 0.055 centers produced greater yield per m2 than spacing at 0.11 or 0.22 m2.  Plants maintained 0.33 meters apart (0.111 m2 per plant) in beds produced the same yields when separated by dividers in the root matrix as when no separation was made.
Tibbitts
T W
TW
University of Wisconsin, Madison 53706.
Bennett
S M
SM
Morrow
R C
RC
Bula
R J
RJ
D018533:Biomass; D050260:Carbohydrate Metabolism; D002241:Carbohydrates / Q000032:analysis; D002245:Carbon Dioxide / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism; D003470:Culture Media; D018504:Ecological Systems, Closed; D004780:Environment, Controlled; D008021:Life Support Systems; D009753:Nutritive Value; D010100:Oxygen / Q000378:metabolism; D017440:Photoperiod; D011198:Solanum tuberosum / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D013026:Space Flight; D013696:Temperature; D013997:Time Factors
D002241:Carbohydrates; D003470:Culture Media; D002245:Carbon Dioxide; D010100:Oxygen