Abstract
The aim of the study was to evaluate the dependence of potato crops on the level of irrigation in three mesoregions of Poland. The field experiments were carried out in 2009–2011 according to an obligatory methodology for evaluation of crop cultivars. Three factors were tested: two cultivation practices (with irrigation and without irrigation as control), five potato cultivars, and three locations (Masłowice, Szczecin-Dąbie, and Węgrzce). The study was conducted in randomized blocks in triplicate. The study included the same nutrition across locations and protection against potato blight. Irrigation was applied according to the criterion of optimal soil moisture at a humidity decrease below 70% of the field water capacity. At the time of harvest, total and commercial yields of tubers were determined. Detailed analysis of the dependent variables, total and marketable yield, and the independent variables for the second harvest date, confirmed confidence in the achieved results. The coefficients of variation for total and marketable yield, on the second harvest date, were 23% and 25%, respectively, which means high stability for the results. Irrigation of potato plantations contributed to an increase in the total yield of tubers in the first harvest term by 3.22 t·ha−1 and by 7.23 t·ha−1 -in the second term; and the commercial yield of tubers by 3.45 t·ha−1 in the first term and by 7.42 t·ha−1 -in the second term of tuber harvest. The highest watering efficiency in the first harvest time, 60 days after planting, was distinguished by the “Miłek” variety, and in the second harvest date by the “Denar” variety.
Highlights
Potato plants are shallow rooted, but have highly branched, horizontal root systems (Buckley et al.) [1]
Irrigation applied on the first date of harvest contributed to an increase in the total yield of tubers by 8.1–19.6%, depending on the localization, in relation to technology without irrigation
The highest increase in tuber yield was recorded in West Pomeranian province (Szczecin-Dabie) (19.6%), which is characterized by deficient rainfall during the growing season, and the lowest was recorded in Wegrzce, Lesser Poland province, which has enough rainfall to ensure the potatoes’ demands for water (8.1%) (Table 5)
Summary
Potato plants are shallow rooted, but have highly branched, horizontal root systems (Buckley et al.) [1]. Potato emergence is followed by a rapid increase in plant’s demand for water and minerals and by periods of row compacting, stolonization, and tuberization in hot weather after 2–3 weeks [8,9,10]. During this period, a decrease in soil moisture below 55% of the field water capacity, in light soils, promotes fungal infection of tubers by common scabs [3,5]. The aim of the study was to evaluate the effectiveness of irrigation of very early potato cultivars in three Polish mesoregions
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