Effect of Partial Root-Zone Drying Irrigation Technique (PRD) on the Total Dry Matter, Yield and Water Use Efficiency of Potato under Tunisian Semi-Arid Conditions

Abstract

<p>Three field experiments were conducted in the plot of Technical Centre for Potato and Artichoke during three cropping season 2009, 2010 and 2011.The objective of this research is to evaluate the effect of the partial root-zone drying irrigation technique (PRD) on the dry matter, yield, water consumption and water use efficiency of potato (Spunta Variety). Four treatments were applied from the initiation of tuberisation stage to potato harvesting: FI treatment received 100% of Etc; PRD<sub>80</sub>, PRD<sub>70</sub>, and PRD<sub>60</sub> treatments received respectively: 80, 70 and 60% of FI at each irrigation event and it was shifted between the two sides of the plants every 2 to 10 days. The highest water consumption was observed in FI as 336.5, 376, and 341.8 mm in the 2009, 2010 and 2011 respectively, and the lowest was found in PRD<sub>60</sub> as 280.4, 294.5, and 256.1 mm in the 2009, 2010 and 2011 respectively. The maximum tuber yield was obtained from the FI as 25.6, 42.9 and 39.1 tha<sup>-1</sup>, in the 2009, 2010 and 2011 respectively. There was no significant difference between FI and PRD<sub>60</sub> with respect to tuber yields (LSD 5%).The highest water use efficiency (WUE<sub>Y</sub>) was found in PRD<sub>60</sub> as 13.4 kg m<sup>-3</sup>, in the second experiment (2010) and the lowest was found in PRD<sub>80</sub> as 6.8 kg m<sup>-3</sup> in the first experiment (2009). In the other hand, a linear relation between the accumulated total dry matter and the accumulated water consumption was able to be revealed.</p>

Chemical signals and their regulations on the plant growth and water use efficiency of cotton seedlings under partial root-zone drying and different nitrogen applications

“…(Table 4), compared with non-PRD-treated ones during drought and subsequent rewatering. This was consistent with other studies (Li et al, 2010, Poorter et al, 2012, Sampathkumar et al, 2013, Nouna et al, 2016), in which alternate partial root-zone drying/irrigated maize, potato or cotton had the higher WUE than traditional-irrigated plants. On the other hand, 1.5 folds N fertilization did not increase biomass and WUE obviously but raise water consumption of per cotton seedlings; While 0.6-fold N fertilizer significantly declined biomass and water consumption but increased WUE, irrespective of irrigation methods, compared with medium N supplied cotton seedlings under drought stress and subsequent rewatering.…”

Effect of Deficit Irrigation and Root-Zone Drying Irrigation Technique under Different Nitrogen Rates on Water Use Efficiency for Potato (Solanum Tuberosum L.) in Semi-arid Conditions (I)

“…The best values was recorded in the treatment T2 and then in the treatment T3 from where this increase compared to T1 was equal to (22.6% and 12.9%), (24.1% and 12, 4%) and (21.9% and 15.3%) respectively for the three nitrogen treatments (F1, F2 and F3). Our results consent with those of Ben Nouna et al (2016) who showed that PRD60 treatment improved the WUE of potato by (10.9 and 10.2%) and (25.8 and 19.7%) compared to full irrigation and PRD80. Also, Saeed et al (2008) found that PRD irrigation used 29% less water and improved the WUE by 19%.…”

Effect of Partial Root Drying and Deficit Irrigation on Yield and Water Use Efficiency of Tomato Grown Under Greenhouse

“…24.45 t ha -1 cm -1 in Full irrigation (FI) at 100% of ET c . The WUE for The DI and PRD treatments resulted in significantly lower evapotranspiration (ET) than the full irrigation treatment (FI) [19]. The PRD and DI treatments utilized 50% less water and increased WUE by 30.35% and 25.71% respectively.…”