Effect of different drip irrigation regimes on tuber and starch yield of potatoes

Abstract

Small-plot field trials monitored the effect of drip irrigation of potatoes on tuber and starch yield. The trials were performed at two different localities in two trial years, 2016 and 2017. The subject of the evaluation included two cultivars with different vegetation periods (the very early cv. Monika and the semi-early cv. Jolana). Four repeated trials studied 4 irrigation treatments according to the available water capacity (AWC) of the soil, i.e. without irrigation, irrigation when soil humidity decreased below 60, 65 and below 70% AWC. All monitored parameters reflected a positive effect of irrigation in comparison to the non-irrigated control. The Žabčice locality showed the highest tuber and starch yields mostly after medium-intensity irrigation. The Valečov locality achieved the highest tuber and starch yields after the highest-intensity irrigation. Subject to the locality and the cultivar, the recommendation is to introduce automatic irrigation start when the soil humidity drops to 65% AWC for heavy soils and 70% AWC for medium heavy soils.

Requirements and Effects of Surface Drip Irrigation of Mid-Early Potato Cultivar Courage on a Very Light Soil in Central Poland

“…In other studies, Mazurczyk, et al [27] drip irrigation and nitrogen fertigation enabled the authors to obtain the yield of the early potato cultivar Owacja to 30 t ha −1 on 70th day after planting and about 50 t ha −1 after the end of cultivation, i.e., 103rd day after planting. A significant increase in the marketable yield of potato tubers of two potato cultivars (very early 'Monika' and semi-early 'Jolana') in two different regions with reduced rainfall in the Czech Republic during the growing period after the application of drip irrigation has also reported by Elzner, et al [7].…”

“…The growth and yield of potato is adversely affected by abiotic factors, such as drought [5][6][7][8]. The water needs of potatoes during the growing season are quite high, reaching from 350 mm to 450 mm of rainfall in the period from April to September in Poland [8].…”

“…The water needs of potatoes during the growing season are quite high, reaching from 350 mm to 450 mm of rainfall in the period from April to September in Poland [8]. This amount depends on the soil conditions in a given location and on the cultivar, as well as on the early or late maturation of the cultivar [7,9]. The period of the greatest water requirement for potatoes is the phase of tuber setting and the phase of rapid increase in tuber weight, which extends over several weeks depending on the cultivar and most often occurs in the period from June to the end of August [10].…”

“…The most precise is the drip irrigation system, which is the most modern method for irrigating plants grown in rows, including potato irrigation. At the same time, it is the friendliest to plants and the ecosystem [7,8,[11][12][13][14][15][16][17]. Irrigation is most effective in light and very light soils [8,[18][19][20][21][22][23][24][25].…”

“…Supply of water and nitrogen in potato growing systems is an important factor for controlling production levels, especially in arid and semi-arid regions characterized by large irrigation requirements. Drip irrigation in combination with mineral drip fertigation is an effective method for increasing the efficiency of water use and potato yields [7,12,13,16,17,[27][28][29][30]. This method of nutrient supply is more efficient compared to traditional solid fertilizer application due to the optimal nutrient concentration and high root density in the wet zone of the soil [12,13,31].…”