Productivity of Potato(Solanum TuberosumL.) as Influenced by Wide Raised Bed Planting Patterns Under Drip Irrigation

Abstract

Field studies were conducted during three consecutive years 2007–10 on light textured (Typic-Ustocrept) soils at Central Potato Research Institute Campus, Modipuram, Meerut (UP) to study the effect of raised bed planting patterns on the productivity of potato under drip method of irrigation. The results revealed that the triple row raised bed planting pattern at 120 cm spacing (1, 25, 000 plants/ha at 20 x 20 cm inter & intra-row spacing alongwith single lateral placed on each bed) under drip irrigation produced 29% higher yield (39.5 t/ha) and saved 42% irrigation water followed by paired row raised bed planting pattern at 90 cm spacing (1, 11, 111 plants/ha at 20x20 cm inter and intra-row spacing alongwith single lateral placed on each bed) than furrow method of irrigation, which produced 30.5 t tubers/ha. The similar trend was also noticed in case of net tuber yield as well as medium size tuber yield. The triple row raised bed planting pattern at 120 cm spacing gave maximum gross return of Rs. 1, 81, 300/ha closely followed by paired row raised bed planting pattern at 90 cm spacing (Rs.1, 70, 900/ha). The B: C ratio was also higher (2.68) with triple RBP at 120 cm spacing than furrow method of irrigation (Rs.1, 32, 050/ha gross return & B: C ratio of 2.53). The paired and triple row raised bed planting patterns also minimized the cost of drip installation by 35–40% against conventional planting with drip irrigation.