Effect of Seaweed Extract on Potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) Varieties grown under Heat Stress Conditions

Abstract

Climate Heat stress has been known to negatively impact the growth and yield of various crop plants, including potatoes. In recent years, the use of seaweed extract as a potential bio stimulant has gained interest due to its reported positive effect on plant growth and stress tolerance. This study aimed to investigate the effect of seaweed extract on potato growth and yield under heat-stress conditions. Three potato varieties (Diamant, Marabel, and Nicola) grown under heat stress were treated with three concentrations of seaweed extract (0.5 mL, 1.0 mL, and 1.5 mL). The treatments, including a control without seaweed extract, were arranged in a Completely Randomized Design (CRD) with three replications. The data collected were analyzed using ANOVA, and significant treatment means were separated using Tukey's HSD test. Results showed that the varieties differed significantly in plant height, leaf number, stem number, and mean tuber weight. At 12 WAP, variety Nicola produced the tallest plant of 39.29 cm, while variety Marable was the shortest (28.88 cm). Mean tuber weight was significantly affected by 1.0 mL of seaweed extract. In addition, a significant interaction between variety and seaweed extract was observed for all the parameters, indicating differential responses of varieties to different concentrations of seaweed extract. This study highlights significant varietal differences in response to treatment, identifying 1.0 mL as the optimal concentration for mitigating heat stress damage. These offer a practical strategy for enhancing crop resilience, contributing valuable insights toward sustaining potato production and ensuring food security in a warming climate.