Under cultivation conditions that favor the growth of plant shoot, the adoption of management practices that reduce the size of potato plants can be an alternative to increase the yield of tubers. The objective of this work was to evaluate the effect of paclobutrazol on vegetative growth and dry matter partitioning of the potato plant cv. Markies cultivated under summer conditions in the state of Minas Gerais. Treatments were 0.1, 1.0, 10 and 100 mg L-1 of paclobutrazol (PBZ) applied to the sprouted seeds before planting and control with water. PBZ was efficient in reducing plant height. PBZ treatments at doses 10 and 100 mg L-1 delayed the emergence of shoots and the beginning of plant tuberization. PBZ at 0.1 mg L-1 reduced the lengh of the stem by 18%, but did not differ from the control in relation to fresh and dry mass content, total production, specific gravity and starch content of tubers. Treatment of seed potatoes with PBZ a 0.1 mg L-1 resulted in smaller, more compact plants, which could be suitable for more densely planted in order to maximize plant population and increase economic return per unit of area.