Quantifying differences in plant architectural development between hybrid potato (Solanum tuberosum) plants grown from two types of propagules.

In true-seed-grown plants, lateral branching was stronger and determined whole-plant architecture as well as plant function with regard to light interception and biomass production, compared with seedling-tuber-grown plants. This different role of branching indicates that a difference in preference between clonal and sexual reproduction may exist. The divergent branching behaviours in true-seed-grown and seedling-tuber-grown plants may be regulated by the different intensity of apical dominance, which suggests that the branching control can depend on propagule type.