New Zealand Journal of Crop and Horticultural Science
abstracts
Response of potato (Solanum tuberosum) tuber yield components to gel-polymer
soil amendments and irrigation regimes
B. K. Eiasu
P. Soundy
P. S. Hammes
Department of Plant Production and Soil Science
University of Pretoria
Pretoria 0002, South Africa
email: bkef68@yahoo.com
Abstract Two field experiments were conducted to investigate the effects
of two gel-polymer formulations (pure and fertiliser-fused) and moisture stress
on yield and quality of potato (Solanum tuberosum). The experiments were carried
out at the Hatfield Experimental Farm of the University of Pretoria, South
Africa. Six gel-polymer rates, consisting of pure gel polymer at 1.5 kg/m3
of soil, with 85% and 70% fertiliser rate of the control, and fertiliser-fused
gel polymer at 1.5, 2, and 3 kg/m3 soil, and control (without gel polymer)
were assigned to the subplots. Four maximum allowable moisture depletion (MAD)
levels, 25%, 40%, 55%, and 70% of the plant available soil moisture, were allocated
to the main plots. Rate of phosphorus (P) was the same for all treatments (168
kg/ha). Total nitrogen (N) and potassium (K) budget for the treatments (except
one pure gel-polymer treatment received 85%) were balanced to 70% of the control.
The fertiliser-fused gel polymer showed no substantial improvement in tuber
yield parameters for all rates. The pure gel polymer, especially at higher
fertiliser rate, improved total and marketable tuber yield. Marketable tuber
number and yield, and total tuber mass showed declining trend with an increase
in MAD. Significant reduction in tuber fresh and dry mass was observed at the
55% and 70% MAD irrigation levels. Both high and low soil moisture levels reduced
tuber specific gravity. Incidence of common scab was inversely related to the
irrigation frequency.
Keywords common scab; gel polymers; maximum allowable moisture depletion;
potato tuber specific gravity
New Zealand Journal of Crop and Horticultural Science, 2007, Vol. 35: 25–31
0014–0671/07/3501–0025 © The Royal Society of New Zealand
2007
H06057; Online publication date 19 February 2007. Received 8 June 2006;
accepted 4 December 2006
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