Abstract
Potato is a plant with high water requirements. This factor affects not only the weight of potato tubers but also their quality parameters. In order to achieve quantity and quality goal, it is helpful if we apply the principles of precision agriculture, which also contributes to sustainable management of environmental resources. Accurate identification of the water requirements of crops is the basis for determining optimal irrigation doses and dates. After their application, it is possible to assess the effectiveness of irrigation treatments and their impact on the air-water conditions in soil with a root system. The aim of the presented study was to analyse the influence of volumetric soil moisture diversity on the vegetation of early potato varieties. Two potato varieties were subject to investigation: Denar and Julinka. Pot experiments were carried out at the Department of Horticulture of Wroclaw University of Environmental and Life Sciences. Three variants were analysed: one with a low water content in the soil (pF 2.7), one with the optimal water content (pF 2.5) and one with a high water content (pF 2.2). The basis for the selection of the frequency and application rate of water doses was soil moisture measured with an SM150-Kit set. Volumetric moisture was measured with a TDR apparatus. It was found that the water requirements of both potato varieties differ and increase along with the development of the aboveground and underground parts. Moreover, it was shown that the irrigation requirements of cv. Julinka are higher than those of Denar (31.4-33.0% higher), depending on the adopted variant. The research also showed that the most effective method of potato cultivation is to maintain soil moisture at a lower level. This should be taken into account in regions where the cultivation of this species uses supplementation of the water requirements by irrigation.
Highlights
Potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) is the third largest crop in the world, after rice and wheat, in terms of production volume, with tuber production exceeding 330 million tonnes [1,2]
The distribution of volumetric moisture is the basis for the analysis of water movement in porous media–including in the substrates of cultivated plants
The methods used in the study to monitor soil moisture and the adopted schedule of procedures showed that they are suitable for maintaining soil moisture at the assumed level
Summary
Potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) is the third largest crop in the world, after rice and wheat, in terms of production volume, with tuber production exceeding 330 million tonnes [1,2]. The requirements grow significantly in the subsequent vegetation period. This should be attributed to the strong relationship between progeny tubers and mother tubers where the former, in the initial period, use winter and spring water reserves as well as water directly from the mother tubers [9,12,14]. Potato is able to produce a large number of high-quality tubers [16]. A shortage of precipitation, and a decrease in soil water capacity (below 60%) in the critical period, results in a decrease in size and a deterioration of potato yield quality. Optimal soil moisture, alternating with water shortages, causes deterioration of tuber quality manifested by tuber deformation
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