Research Information System
Postharvest Biology and Technology, vol.240, 2026 (SCI-Expanded, Scopus)
Potato tuber dormancy is a major postharvest constraint limiting seed availability, planting flexibility, and storage efficiency across diverse production systems. This study evaluated the effectiveness of four different dormancy-breaking methods and their coordinated physicochemical regulation across six potato genotypes with contrasting dormancy behavior. Freshly harvested tubers were subjected to benzyl adenine (BA), gibberellic acid (GA3), electric current, cold pre-treatment, and γ-irradiation, and were assessed at week-0, 2, and 4 for hormonal balance, carbohydrate metabolism, reactive oxygen species, and antioxidant enzyme activities in relation to dormancy period and sprout length. All treatments significantly (P ≤ 0.05) reduced dormancy duration and enhanced sprouting relative to the control. The combined BA+GA3 application reduced dormancy by approximately 43% and increased sprout length by up to 94%, outperforming BA or GA3 alone. Electric current at 150-V shortened dormancy by about 40% and increased sprout length by nearly 89%, while cold pre-treatment at 1°C reduced dormancy by around 20% and enhanced sprout elongation by over 80%. γ-irradiation at 6 kGy reduced dormancy by 14% and increased sprout length by 74%. Dormancy breakage was consistently associated with a decline in abscisic acid and concurrent increases in zeatin and GA1, alongside starch degradation and higher accumulation of fructose, glucose, and sucrose. Hydrogen peroxide levels increased moderately, accompanied by a decline in antioxidant enzyme activities, indicating regulated redox signaling resulting in oxidative stress. In conclusion, the effectiveness of dormancy-breaking methods followed the order of BA+GA3 > electric current > cold pre-treatment > γ-irradiation on the basis of magnitude of dormancy reduction and sprout length.