Yield Gaps and Ecological Footprints of Potato Production Systems in Chile

Abstract

In Chile potatoes are grown in a wide range of ecological zones and levels of technology resulting in wide ranges of crop management and yields. The aim of the present study was to assess yield gaps, resource use efficiencies and foot-printing in different potato cropping zones between 18 and 53 degrees South considering early and late crops, small and large holdings (>10 ha per year) and ware and seed potato crops. Two mathematical tools were used to generate data for comparisons: the LINTUL crop growth model to calculate potential yields and water need of each system and the Cool Farm Tool -Potato (CFT) to calculate the amount of CO 2 associated with the production of one ton of potato. Meteorological data for LINTUL came from official services and data needed to complete the CFT came from a survey carried out for the 10 sites yielding amounts of inputs and number of operations, potato yields and planting and harvest dates. The survey yielded 20 cropping systems with an average yield of 31 t ha -1 . Yields were related to daily growth rate and not with the length of the growing season. Considerable variation was found in resource use efficiency and CO 2 emission. It was concluded that large farms show a lower land foot print than small farms due to higher technological level but while applying more water and fertilizer they result in higher water and CO 2 footprints. Late crops may fetch higher off season prices but have higher land, water and CO 2 footprints. The most suitable potato production systems are the rainfed summer crops in the South with the lowest foot prints. The highest footprints have the irrigated winter crops in the Centre of Chile. The subsistence high altitude Andean crop in the utmost North has the highest land footprint but the lowest CO 2 emission. The description, analysis and benchmarking of the potato production systems in Chile allows strategies for improving footprints and profitability and yields information about future investments in research, development and production of the crop.

Yield levels of potato crops: Recent achievements and future prospects

“…Such a ratio is often observed where growers apply all inputs and carry out all necessary cultural practices in a balanced and optimal manner. A (strong) deviation such as, e.g., found in a recent study in Chile (Haverkort et al, 2014) shows there is considerable scope for improvement where the ratio Y act /Y pot in some areas is as low as 0.35 (Fig. 4).…”

Ecophysiological determinants of tuber yield as affected by potato genotype and phosphorus availability

“…Average tuber yields in Experiments 1 and 2 were 48 and 83%, respectively, of the potential yield calculated previously for similar planting dates and locations. In general, potential fresh yield of potato crops in southern Chile planted in October and November is around 90 and 75 Mg ha −1 , respectively (18 and 15 Mg DM ha −1 , respectively) (Haverkort et al, 2014;Sandaña and Kalazich, 2015). Yield differences between Experiments 1 and 2 could be due mainly to differences in water availability during the crop cycle (175 mm vs. 624 mm).…”

Actual and Potential Yield Levels of Potato in Different Production Systems of Japan

“…Therefore, recent studies which applied the LINTUL-POTATO-DSS model were analysed and compared. Where certain data such as the length of the growing season is not mentioned in ), A/P = ratio of actual potential yield a Figure 4 and Table 7 b Haverkort, A J. unpublished, the calculations were done for the present publication c Haverkort et al (2014) d Haverkort et al (2013) e Molahlehi et al (2013),* f Svubure et al (2015) the publication cited, the original data on which the publication was based, were consulted. The results are shown in Table 10.…”