The influence of methods of potato weed control and meteorological conditions on shaping the tuber yield structure

Abstract

The test results were based on a field experiment conducted in 2007–2009 in a pilot plant IHAR – PIB in Jadwisin on lessive soil granulometric composition of loamy sand. Experiment was covered with the method of drawn subblocks in the dependent arrangement, split-plot, in three repeating. Order factor were cultivars of potato, ‘Irga’ and ‘Fianna’, factor II row weed control methods were: (1) object control – without chemical protection; (2) extensive mechanical treatments (every 2 weeks) after planting until short rows; (3) Sencor 70 WG – 1 kg∙ha–1 pre-emergence potato; (4) Sencor 70 WG – 1 kg∙ha–1 + Titus 25 WG – 40 g∙ha–1 + Trend 90 EC – 0.1% pre-emergence potato; (5) Sencor 70 WG – 0.5 kg∙ha–1 after emergence potatoes; (6) Sencor 70 WG – 0.3 kg∙ha–1 + Titus 25 WG – 30 g∙ha–1 + Trend 90 EC – 0.1% after emergence potatoes; (7) Sencor 70 WG – 0.3 kg∙ha–1 + Fusilade Forte 150 EC – 2 dm3∙ ha–1 after emergence potatoes; (8) Sencor 70 WG – 0.3 kg∙ha–1 + Apyros 75 WG 26.5 g∙ha–1 + Atpolan 80 SC – 1∙dm3 ha–1 after emergence of the potato. Spray the plants with herbicides was consumed 300 dm3∙ha–1 water. Harvest tubers were performed on technical maturity of the potato. During the harvest, tubers samples were taken from each plot to assess the yield structure. The ‘Fianna’ cultivar was characterized by a more favourable yield structure, characterized by a higher share of large tubers, in their total weight. Thermal and humid conditions had a significant effect on the potato yield structure. The most beneficial structure of the mass of tubers was provided by mechanical and chemical care with the application of Sencor before the emergence of potato, because it gave the largest share of bulbs in the yield, i.e. 50–60 and >60 mm in diameter, compared to the control object.