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.