Exploring variability in yield, resource use efficiency and environmental impact of ware potato production in the Netherlands

Abstract

Potato as a crop has three different production purposes: (1) as a ware crop for consumption of fresh potatoes and processed products, (2) as a starch crop with multiple industrial purposes and (3) as a seed crop to produce seed potatoes that will be planted in the next growing season. Potatoes are cultivated across the country, but it depends on the region which type of potato crop is most dominant (CBS, 2022). Starch potatoes are mostly cultivated in the northeast of the Netherlands in an area called the 'Veenkoloniën'. Seed potatoes are mostly cultivated in the northern coastal regions of the Netherlands. Ware potatoes are cultivated across the country, although its dominance is less in the areas where also seed and starch potatoes are cultivated. This thesis focusses on ware potato cultivation as it is the most important production purpose in terms of land area (Fig. 1 .1A), and because ha), (B) gross profit (in € ha -1 ), (C) average crop yield (in t dry matter ha -1 ), (D) average yield gap (in % of potential yield), (E) coefficient of variation of crop yield (in %), expressing spatial yield variability, (F) average applied active ingredients (in kg active ingredients ha -1 ), (G) active ingredients (in % of total use), (H) median nitrogen use efficiency (in kg N kg N -1 ), (I) average nitrogen surplus (in kg ha -1 ) and (J) average water productivity (kg DM mm -1 ha -1 ). Panel A is based on data from CBS (average of 2011 -2020). Panel B is based on data from (van derVoort, 2022).