No-till Production of Irish Potato on Raised Beds

Abstract

Potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) yields in Virginia and other hot climates are considerably lower than in cooler areas, predominately because of high soil temperatures during set and bulking of the tubers. Although organic surface mulches conserve soil moisture and lower soil temperature, often resulting in increased tuber yields, applying organic mulches is commercially cost-prohibitive. Preliminary experiments were conducted in 1995 and 1996 at the VPI&SU Agricultural Research Farm to compare production of `Yukon Gold' potato in no-till (NT) raised-bed systems with standard conventionally tilled (CT) methods. No-till yields were higher than CT both years, although differences were not significant. Based on these data, the NT production system used in these experiments is a viable management option, at least in hot climates such as Virginia. Rainfall during tuber bulking in 1995 and 1996 was above average, even excessive at times, which possibly negated the beneficial soil-cooling and moisture-conserving effects of the in situ mulches on potato yield enhancement. Greater yield increases would be expected in NT plots in normal rainfall years.