Potato Yield and Tuber Shape as Affected by Severe Soil‐Moisture Deficits and Plant Spacing¹

Abstract

Synopsis Total and U.S. No. 1 grade yield of Russet Burbank variety potatoes was reduced up to 30% and 58%, respectively, by soil‐moisture stress. Spindled tubers resulted from stress at any time following tuber initiation. Location and intensity of the growth constriction corresponded to the time and intensity of the imposed stress. Late‐season stress hastened maturity and reduced growth cracking whereas mid‐season stress increased growth cracking. Knobby second‐growth was essentially independent of moisture in these experiments. Reduced stem populations resulted in a lower yield and number of tubers and a higher percentage of tubers with knobby second‐growth and growth cracks.

Responses of Potato Plants to Fertilization and Soil Moisture Tension Under Induced Soil Compaction1

“…Yield of small and deformed tubers did not increase as the moisture tension increased, nor did the second-growth yield of tubers exceed 2% of the deformed grade at any moisture tension. Other studies (5,8,14,16) have related high percentages of small and second-growth tubers to moisture stress. More recently, Bodlaender et al (2) reported that second growth of tubers was induced in plants grown at continuously high air temperatures ( 28C) either at optimal soil moisture or under droughty conditions.…”

Effects of Soil Moisture, Temperature, and Fertility on Yield and Quality of Irrigated Potatoes in the Southern Plains1

“…Small soil moisture suctions have been reported to reduce tuber yield and quality (2,3,5,6,10,11,13). Soil temperature is also a factor in tuber production.…”

Quality and Yield Characteristics of Potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) Grown at Paddy Field in Spring Season

“…The first, leaf emergence is delayed due to low temperature at the sowing season. The second, spring drought is very severe between leaf emergence and tuber initiation/enlargement known as sensitive growth phases to drought stress (MacKerron and Jefferies, 1986;Robins and Domingo, 1956;Shimsi and Susnoschi, 1985;van Loon, 1981). Therefore, it is very important to secure adequate temperature and soil moisture for potato spring cropping (RDA, 2005).…”