Evaluating the Effects of Deficit Irrigation Strategies on Potato (Solanumtuberosum L.) Yield, Tuber Quality and Water use Efficiency

Evaluating the Effects of Deficit Irrigation Strategies on Potato (Solanumtuberosum L.) Yield, Tuber Quality and Water use Efficiency Bijan Haghighati - BoroujeniAssistant Prof. of Soil and Water Research Department, Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari Agricultural and Natural Resources Research and Education Center, Agricultural Research, Education and Extension Organization (AREEO), Shahrekord, Iran  ⃰ Corresponding author Email: [e-mail]       Received: ۴ November ۲۰۲۰                                                                                Accepted:  ۱۵ January  ۲۰۲۱ AbstractAdopting efficient irrigation strategies is necessary because of climate change and growing population especially in regions that receive low precipitation. A field experiment was performed at three replications for two years (۲۰۱۳ and ۲۰۱۴) as split-split-plot in Chaharmahal-Va-Bakhtiari Province, Shahrekord.The main plotswereirrigation type (furrow and tape drip irrigation), sub-plots including potato cultivars (Almeraand Burren) and secondary sub-plots were deficit irrigation (DI) managements (FI=۱۰۰%, RDI۸۰= ۸۰%, RDI۶۵= ۶۵% of available water depletion and partial-root-zone-drying (PRD) during growth period).Influences of these treatments have been studied on tuber yield, dry matter, starch and proline content, water use efficiency (WUE) and water productivity (WP).Results declared that DI management had significant effects at P ≤۰.۰۱on entire studied parameters. The highest and lowest tubers yield ۵۲.۸ and ۲۵.۵ tonha-۱ were related to FI and RDI۶۵ treatments, respectively. Tubers yield reduced noticeably by ۸% in plants receiving ۸۰% IR and PRD irrigation and by ۵۲% in plants receiving RDI۶۵ irrigation. The means comparison revealed a relationship between PRD and RDI۶۵ for the highest and lowest values of WUE with ۱۴.۵ and ۸.۴۶ kgm-۳, respectively.Additionally, outcomes demonstrated that tape drip irrigation enhanced CPD by ۷۹% compared to furrow irrigation. Means comparison showed that the highest values of CPD with ۱۰.۷۷ kgm-۳ was related to Burren cultivar and this cultivar increased CPD by ۲۱% compared to Almera cultivar. Therefore, it is essential to select irrigation method under environmental parameters of plant in order to enhance production per unit of water consumed. These findings highlight the importance of adopting efficient irrigation strategies to optimize water consumption and increase tuber yield in regions facing water scarcity and climate challenges.

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Keywords: Irrigation type , water management , Partial-root-zone-drying , water productivity , arid region