Potato Varieties Response to Soil Matric Potential Based Irrigation

Abstract

Potato is one of the most cropped plants worldwide. Hundreds of different varieties are cultivated only in North America. Potato growers usually crop multiple varieties on their farms to answer the market demands for potato’s specific physical properties. However, few pieces of information are available regarding the optimal management of irrigation across potato varieties. Knowing that modern potatoes share genetics similarities, the optimal irrigation comfort zone for the potato crop might be the same for different groups of varieties. This study evaluates the effect of precision irrigation thresholds on the potato yields of three varieties (Envol: very early, Kalmia: early, and Red Maria: mid-late) with different maturity classes. In a greenhouse, a soil matric potential sensor network used in combination with a precise irrigation system allows the identification of a common optimal precision irrigation threshold, allowing optimal yields for the three varieties. This paper presents the first identification of an optimal irrigation threshold, −15 kPa, shared by different potato varieties. The optimal irrigation threshold identified in this study is not dependent on the maturity class, plant height or tuber potential production. The determination of an optimal precision irrigation threshold will allow potato growers to adapt their farm management processes to integrate more sustainable water management practices as they will be able to irrigate a field with multiple varieties with the same threshold.

Relationship Between Irrigation Thresholds and Potato Tuber Depth in Sandy Soil

“…Previous studies have demonstrated that an SMPT between -15 and -25 kPa can sustain optimal water uptake and the highest yield in potato production (44)(45)(46). The use of a SMPT of -25 kPa can also lead to a higher potato lifting percentage and reduce the harvest depth without significant economic losses.…”

Potential of implementing irrigation in rainfed agriculture in Quebec: A review of climate change‐induced challenges and adaptation strategies

“…These practices vary from water table management to microirrigation (subsurface drip and sprinkler irrigation). For example, for a potato crop under drip irrigation in sandy loam soil, optimal irrigation scheduling is recommended to occur at soil matric potential ( ) thresholds between −10 and −24 kPa (Jacques et al, 2020; Matteau et al, 2021a,b; Matteau, Célicourt, Létourneau, et al, 2022; Matteau, Celicourt, Shahriarina, et al, 2022; Table 1). Such an approach increased crop yield and water productivity while reducing irrigation water use.…”

Abiotic Stress in Plants: Sustainability and Productivity

“…In practice, farmers often achieve higher yields through excessive irrigation (Xiao et al, 2023). However, irrigation that exceeds the plant demand or field water capacity (FC) can lead to an imbalance between vegetative and reproductive growth (Reddy, 2016), thereby reducing yield, WP, and fruit quality (Rostamza et al, 2011;Matteau et al, 2022). In contrast, appropriate deficit irrigation helps to achieve a balance between plant vegetative and reproductive growth (Han et al, 2023), reducing plant height while maintaining crop yields, improving fruit quality, and maximizing WP (Wu et al, 2021).…”