Optimum irrigation strategy to maximize yield and quality of potato: A case study in southern Alberta, Canada*

Abstract

AbstractThe ability to understand how various irrigation levels impact potato productivity could facilitate the introduction of variable‐rate irrigation technology for high‐quality potato production in southern Alberta, Canada. A two‐year field study (2015 and 2016) was therefore conducted to assess the effect of three irrigation levels on yield and quality of potato. Several parameters were measured including climatic data, irrigation amounts, total and marketable potato yield, and tuber quality parameters (specific gravity and glucose content). The Alberta Irrigation Management Model was used to estimate irrigation levels based on soil, crop, and weather variables. The year 2015 was exceptionally dry, resulting in a total of 21 irrigation events, and a total of 12 irrigation events were undertaken in the 2016 growing season. In 2015, the crop in plots receiving normal irrigation (361 mm per season) produced slightly lower total yield than plots receiving high irrigation (480 mm per season), but the normal irrigation plots produced statistically higher marketable yield and better tuber quality in terms of specific gravity and glucose content. In 2016, there were no significant differences between potato yield and quality between irrigation treatments because the rainfall for the year was close to the long‐term average annual rainfall.