Abstract
Water shortages in many potato-producing regions have increased the demand for information on irrigating potatoes with limited water supplies. Field studies were conducted at Aberdeen, Idaho in 1988 and 1989 to determine the optimal allocation of limited water supplies for Russet Burbank potatoes. Irrigation amounts equal to 60 or 80% of estimated seasonal evapotranspiration (ET) were applied using various patterns of water allocation. Irrigation deficits were either partitioned evenly over the entire tuber bulking period, or were imposed during two of three designated growth stages (early, mid or late bulking) corresponding to the periods from 0 to 3, 3 to 6, and 6 to 9 weeks after tuber initiation, respectively. A well-watered, 100% ET check was included for comparison. Total yield reductions were greater when irrigation deficits were imposed during the early-mid and midlate bulking sequences than when they were imposed evenly over the entire tuber bulking period or during the early-late bulking sequence. Results relating U.S. No. 1 yields to seasonal water allocation patterns were similar to those for total yield. However, U.S. No. 1 yield reductions were proportionately greater. Irrigation deficits imposed during the early-mid bulking sequence resulted in the lowest specific gravities and the highest percentages of dark ends.
Compendio
La escasez de agua en muchas de las regiones donde se produce papa ha originado que se incremente la demanda por información sobre la irrigación del cultivo en condiciones de un bajo abastecimiento de agua. En 1988 y 1989 se condujeron estudios en Aberdeen, Idaho, para determinar la distribución óptima de cantidades limitadas de agua para papas Russet Burbank. Al irrigar se aplicaron cantidades iguales al 60 u 80% de la evapotranspiración (ET) estimada para la temporada utilizando varios esquemas de distribución de agua. Los déficits de irrigación iguales a 20 o 40% de la ET estimada fueron distribuidos ya sea uniformemente durante todo el periodo de formación de tubérculos o fueron impuestos durante dos de tres etapas consideradas de crecimiento (producción temprana, media o tardía) correspondientes a periodos de 0 a 3, 3 a 6 y 6 a 9 semanas después de iniciada la tuberización, respectivamente. Con fines de comparación, se incluyó un testigo irrigado al 100% de la ET. Las reducciones en el rendimiento total fueron mayores cuando los déficits de irrigación fueron impuestos durante las secuencias de crecimiento o durante la secuencia temprano-tardía de crecimiento. Los resultados al relacionar los rendimientos en U.S. No. 1 con los esquemas de distribución fueron similares a aquellos para el rendimiento total. Sin embargo, las reducciones en el rendimiento de U.S. No. 1 fueron proporcionalmente mayores. Los déficits de irrigacion impuestos durante la secuencia temprano-media de crecimiento resultaron en las gravedades específicas más bajas y los porcentajes más altos de extremos oscuros.
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Approved for publication by the Director of the Idaho Agric. Expt. Station as research paper No. 91758.
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Stark, J.C., McCann, I.R. Optimal allocation of limited water supplies for Russet Burbank potatoes. American Potato Journal 69, 413–421 (1992). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02852292
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02852292