Impact of surface drip irrigation manners and allowed moisture depletion percent on potato growth and yield

Abstract

Water deficit in semiarid areas limits potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) production and quality. Suitable water regimes to store moisture may help overcome drought. The cv. Ravera was planted on 15 September 2016 in a silty loam soil in a field to study the influence of surface drip irrigation methods and allowed depletion percent (25% and 50%) on soil porosity, bulk density, potato growth indicators, and yield of potato. There were differences in averages of soil bulk density, and porosity which were 1.25 Mg∙m−3 , 52.47% and 1.41 Mg∙m−3 , 46.39%, when partial soil surface drying drip irrigation was used compared with 1.36 Mg∙m−3 , 48.48%, and 1.49 Mg∙m−3 , 43.54%, for full drip irrigation. The allowed depletion percent influenced soil bulk density and porosity which were 1.27 Mg∙m−3 , 51.71%, and 1. 42 Mg∙m−3 , 46.20%, for soil available water depletion percent of 25% compared with 1.34 Mg∙m−3 , 49.24%, and 1.48 Mg∙m−3 , 43.73%, when soil available water allowed depletion percent was 50% for the 0–20- and 20–40 cm soil depths, respectively. Stem diameter, stem length, plant shoot dry weight, leaf area, root length, and mass were respectively 1.06 cm, 76.65 cm, 75.66 g/plant, 65.12 dm2 , 28.88 cm, and 2.26 g/plant when partial soil surface drying was used compared to 0.84 cm, 70.75 cm, 64.02 g/plant, 56.78 dm2 , 32.55 cm, and 1.30 g/plant when full drip irrigation was used. The same parameters reached 1.02 cm, 75.65 cm, 73.83 g/plant, 63.77 dm2 , 29.78 cm, and 2.04 g/plant when the soil available water depletion was 25% compared with 0.90 cm, 71.75 cm, 65.86 g/plant, 58.13 dm2 , 31.65 cm, and 1.26 g/ plant when soil available water depletion was 50%. Average single plant and total yield were 955 g/plant and 23,875 kg∙ha−1 when the partial soil surface drying drip irrigation method used compared with 795 g/plant and 19,875 kg∙ha−1 for the full drip irrigation method. The same plant yield parameters were 925 g/ plant and 23,125 kg∙ha−1 when depletion was 25% and reached 825 g/plant and 20,625 kg∙ha−1 for 50% allowed soil available water depletion. Use of surface drip irrigation at partial soil surface drying drip irrigation and soil available water depletion percent (25% and 50%) reduced water waste and improved water-use efficiency without damage to potato growth and yield