Limited nitrogen availability has cultivar-dependent effects on potato tuber yield and tuber quality traits

An excess of nitrogen (N) is used in agriculture endangering the environment and food quality. One approach to circumvent this is to generate crops with a stable or even increased productivity under limited N. Here, we studied the effect of reduced N availability on potato (Solanum tuberosum) tuber yield and quality traits using five varieties: the wild Andigena and the commercial cultivars Désirée, Milva, Saturna and Alegria. Growth on limited N resulted in less tubers with a reduced weight except for Andigena. Tubers from low N-grown plants contained more starch, less sucrose and were delayed in sprouting. Some of the trait differences can be explained by changes in hormone levels between cultivars and N conditions. In general, Saturna and Alegria performed better under limited N making them excellent breeding candidates. Our results suggest that wild species more flexibly adapt to limited N, a trait lost in commercial potatoes.