4. Yield advantage in aeroponics potato production
According to the Ritter et al. (2001) demonstrated that minituber
production using aeroponics under temperate conditions
substantially improved yields. Farran and Mingo-Castel (2006)
reported a minituber yield of 800 tubers/m2 at a plant density of
60 plants/m2 over a five month period with weekly harvests. This
is translates into a multiplication rate of 1:13. They also found
the field performance of aeroponically produced tubers to be similar
to minitubers produced from the pots. At the International
Potato Centre (CIP) in Peru, yields of over 100 tuberlets/plant were
obtained (Otazu, 2010). Lommen and Struik (1992) found that the
number and timing of the harvests were the key factors in optimizing
minituber production.