Physicochemical properties of mixtures of inorganic supporting materials affect growth of potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) plantlets cultured photoautotrophically in a nutrient-circulated micropropagation system

The objective of this study was to determine the effect of physicochemical properties of inorganic supporting materials on the growth of potato plantlets in a nutrient-circulated photoautotrophic micropropagation (NCM) system. Nine mixtures consisting of combinations of perlite and/or vermiculite with three particle sizes (PL, PM, and PS = perlite large, medium, and small; VL, VM, and VS = vermiculite large, medium, and small, respectively) were used to cultivate potato plantlets in the NCM system. The ratios of vermiculite to perlite in the nine mixtures were determined by cation exchange capacity (CEC) and three distinct levels of water content. Among the nine mixtures with different values of porosity, bulk density, pH, and EC, the mixtures with high ratios of PS or VS had higher levels of water content, total porosity, and water-filled porosity than those with high ratios of PL or VL. Water holding capacity increased in mixtures with high levels of vermiculite. The EC and pH ranges of all mixtures were 1.2 to 2.5 mS·cm−1 and 6.3 to 7.2, respectively. Two mixtures containing 40 and 50% VS had exceptionally the highest EC and pH values. The optimum perlite and vermiculite content for potato plantlet growth was found in two treatments (PL:VL = 30:70 and PM:PS:VL:VM = 20:10:40:0) with a water content of 37% to 47% and CEC of approximately 17 cmol·kg−1. Regardless of the mixtures of supporting materials, conventional polycarbonate culture boxes retarded the growth of potato plantlet as compared with the NCM system. In conclusion, this study showed that the combinations of vermiculite and perlite with different particle sizes made different physical and chemical properties, and some of these mixtures improved growth of potato plantlets in the NCM system.