Environmental and Agronomical Factors Limiting Differences in Potato Yielding between Organic and Conventional Production System

Abstract

This paper presents the results of the authors’ own research and literature research on the impact of selected environmental and agronomical factors on the yield of potato grown under the organic system and the possibility of increasing the yield. The results are based on research conducted for several years at the Institute of Plant Breeding and Acclimatization in Jadwisin, Poland. The influence of factors such as soil quality and climatic conditions, selection of varieties, seed potato preparation, irrigation of plantations, complementary fertilization, and protection against the late blight was described. The aim of this work was to indicate which of these factors affect the yield increase and to what extent. It was stated that it is possible to increase the yield of potato tubers grown under the organic system through all of the proposed treatments. In our studies, using drip irrigation and complementary fertilization had the greatest effect (25.5 and 19%, respectively). Seed potato presprouting had a smaller influence (4.3%) on the final tuber yield. In the years with high pressure of the pathogen Phytophthora infestans, the selection of cultivars with high resistance was very important. Most of the agronomical treatments not only improved the total yield of tubers, but also increased the share of tubers with a larger diameter. A very high variability of potato yielding depending on weather conditions and a selection of cultivars was emphasized. We can say that a proper agronomical practice carried out on an organic potato plantation can largely eliminate the yielding gap between a conventional and an organic system.

Toward Enhanced Seed Potato Yield: Exploring Ultrasonication Techniques in Agricultural Engineering

“…According to Priegnitz et al [39], increasing the number of stems from one potato plant can lead to higher seed potato yield because each stem has the potential to generate a greater number of tubers. Similar relationships are confirmed by the studies of Zarzyńska et al [37] and Barbaś and Sawicka [38].…”

“…Some varieties may be more resistant to specific weather conditions than others; b) adaptation to local conditions: some varieties may be better adapted to specific climatic and soil conditions prevailing in a particular region. Varieties well suited to certain conditions may show better tuber yields compared to varieties less adapted to these conditions; c) genetic flexibility: some varieties may be more genetically flexible, meaning they can better respond to variable weather conditions by quickly adapting to changes in the environment; d) genotype-environment interactions: the variety's response to weather conditions may also result from interactions between genetic traits and environmental conditions, meaning that the influence of weather conditions on plants can be modified by their genotype [34,[36][37][38].…”

Commercial Quality of Potato Tubers of Different Varieties from Organic and Conventional Production System

“…Reviews by De Ponti et al [15] and Seufuret et al [16] concluded that organic arable yields average 80% and 75% of conventional production, respectively. Djaman et al [17] and Zarzy ńska et al [18] also report large differences in yield depending on the production system. However, the yield gap varies between crop species, with tuber crops having a greater yield gap than cereals.…”