| Abstract Detail
Production and Management Hopkins, Bryan G. [1], Ellsworth, Jason W. [1], Cook, Aaron G. [1], Bowen, Thomas R. [1]. Drip Irrigated Potatoes in Uniform Grid Bed Planting. POTATO (Solanum tuberosum) yield is a function of light energy captured used to convert carbon dioxide into carbohydrates when grown within adequate levels of temperature, water, and nutrients. Maximizing yields and tuber quality from a production and management standpoint requires improvements in some or all of these yield components. Potatoes are typically planted in 85-95 cm wide hills, with 20-35 cm in-row spacing. Planting in a uniform grid pattern may provide an increase in the light and carbon dioxide captured with more rapid canopy closure. In addition, rapid canopy closure results in reduced soil temperature fluctuations, resulting in improved tuber quality. Drip irrigation and fertigation may provide further improvements through reduced fluctuations in soil temperature, moisture, and nutrient supply. Four replicates of all combinations of drip vs. overhead and bed vs. hill treatments were established in field plots near Blackfoot, Idaho in 2004 and 2005 in a strip-plot design. Soil moisture was recharged with 0.5 or 2.5 cm of irrigation water once soil moisture levels dropped to 70 or 65% plant available water for drip and overhead irrigation, respectively. Potato seed was planted 30 cm apart in hills on 90 cm centers or in a 40-50 cm grid pattern in beds 180 (2004) or 360 (2005) cm wide. The combination of drip irrigation and bed planting resulted in a highly significant increase of tuber number (13%), tuber size (6%), total yield (2.2 Mg ha-1), and US No. 1 yield (3.4 Mg ha-1) over the traditional methods. Canopy closure was achieved 15-20 days earlier when potatoes were planted in a uniform grid pattern in a bed, as compared to the irregularly spaced, traditional hills. These results suggest that drip irrigating potatoes planted with uniform spacing in beds may provide significant improvements in tuber yield and quality parameters.
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1 - University of Idaho, Plant, Soil, & Entomological Sciences, 1776 Science Center Dr., Suite 205, Idaho Falls, Idaho, 83402-1575, United States
Keywords:
drip
irrigation
bed
hill
light interception
Soil temperature
Soil moisture.
Session: PAA14-1
Location: Hall of Ideas Room G/Monona Terrace
Date: Thursday, July 27th, 2006
Time: 11:00 AM
Abstract ID:226 |
