Response of different cultivars of potato to various soil moisture regimes under South Eastern Rajasthan

Abstract

A field experiment was conducted to assess the effect of water management practices and varieties on the growth, yield and water productivity of potato at Agricultural Research Station, Kota during the year 2017–18 and 2018–19 situated in the humid south eastern plain zone of Rajasthan. Five potato varieties (V1- AICRP-P-21, V2- AICRP-P-32, V3- AICRP-P-37, V4- AICRP-P-38 and V5- Kufri Sindhuri) as main plot treatment and four levels of irrigation (subplot treatments) i.e I1-Irrigation at 20 mm cumulative pan evaporation (CPE), I2-Irrigation at 25 mm CPE (5, sub-optimal irrigations), I3-Irrigation at 30 mm CPE (4 irrigations at critical stages) and I4- Irrigation at 30 mm CPE + paddy straw mulch @ 5 t/ha at the time of planting were arranged in split plot design with three replications. The results revealed that the emergence was significantly higher in variety AICRP- P-38, tuber yield and plant height was significantly higher in variety Kufri Sinduri and number of shoots per plant were significantly higher in the variety AICRP- P-32. Application of straw mulch @5 t/ha along with four irrigation gave crop yield at par with the treatment with five irrigation and resulted in saving of one irrigation as compared to I3 treatment. Thus, paddy straw mulching @5t/ha alongwith four irrigation (I3) may be recommended to achieve higher tuber yield, seed grade tubers under lower water availability in arid environment of Rajasthan.