Potato yield enhancement through intensification of sink and source performances.
The combined total annual yield of six major crops (maize, rice, wheat, cassava, soybean, and potato; Solanum tuberosum L.) amounts to 3.1 billion tons. In recent years, staple crops have begun to be used as substitutes for fossil fuel and feedstocks. The diversion of crop products to fuels and industrial feedstocks has become a concern in many countries because of competition for arable lands and increased food prices. These concerns are definitely justified; however, if plant biotechnology succeeds in increasing crop yields to double the current yields, it will be possible to divert the surplus to purposes other than food without detrimental effects. Maize, rice, wheat, and soybean bear their sink organs in the aerial parts of the plant, and potato in the underground parts. Plants with aerial storage organs cannot accumulate products beyond their capacity to support the weight of these organs. In contrast, potato has heavy storage organs that are supported by the soil. In this mini-review, we introduce strategies of intensifying potato productivity and discuss recent advances in this research area.
Center for Frontier Science and Technology, Nara Institute of Science and Technology , Takayama 8916-5, Ikoma, Nara 630-0192 , Japan ; Core Research for Evolutional Science and Technology (CREST), Japan Science and Technology Agency , Kawaguchi, Saitama 332-0012 , Japan.
Akira
A
Katoh
Graduate School of Human Development and Environment, Kobe University , 3-11 Tsurukabuto, Nada, Kobe, Hyogo 657-8501 , Japan.
Hiroki
H
Ashida
Center for Frontier Science and Technology, Nara Institute of Science and Technology , Takayama 8916-5, Ikoma, Nara 630-0192 , Japan ; Institute of Floricultural Science, National Agriculture and Food Research Organization , 2-1, Fujimoto, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8519 , Japan.
Ichiro
I
Kasajima
Core Research for Evolutional Science and Technology (CREST), Japan Science and Technology Agency , Kawaguchi, Saitama 332-0012 , Japan ; Department of Advanced Bioscience, Faculty of Agriculture, Kinki University , 3327-204 Nakamachi, Nara 631-8505 , Japan.
Shigeru
S
Shigeoka
Center for Frontier Science and Technology, Nara Institute of Science and Technology , Takayama 8916-5, Ikoma, Nara 630-0192 , Japan ; Core Research for Evolutional Science and Technology (CREST), Japan Science and Technology Agency , Kawaguchi, Saitama 332-0012 , Japan.
Akiho
A
Yokota
Solanum tuberosum L.; sink; source; stolon; tuber; yield intensification