Furrow vs Hill Planting of Sprinkler-Irrigated Russet Burbank Potatoes on Coarse-Textured Soils

American Journal of Potato Research, May/Jun 2006 by Steele, Dean D, Greenland, Richard G, Hatterman-Valenti, Harlene M

ABSTRACT

Surface water runoff from the hill, where potatoes are planted, to the furrow may exacerbate potato drought sensitivity. Planting into furrows and constructing midrow ridges may improve water use efficiency and relieve water stress on potato by directing water toward, not away from, the plants. A 3-year field study was conducted to compare yields and tuber size distributions of furrow- and hill-planted potato (Solanum tuberosum L., 'Russet Burbank') on coarse-textured, well-drained soils under sprinkler irrigation. A split-plot experimental design with main plots of row orientation (N-S vs E-W) and subplots of planting method (hill and furrow) combined with two planting depths was used at two central North Dakota sites. Except for planting method and limiting the post-emergence cultivation in the furrow treatments, all cultural practices (fertilizer, irrigation, etc.) were identical and corresponded with conventional practices for hill planted potato. Row orientation did not affect yield for any tuber size category. Averaged over 3 years, furrow-planted potato produced 24% larger tubers (188 vs 151 g), 31% smaller yield for tubers 454 g (2.65 vs 0.60 Mg ha^sup -1^), and 10% larger total yields (46.2 vs 41.9 Mg ha^sup -1^) compared with hill-planted potato. There were no differences in tuber specific gravity. Preliminary soil water measurements indicated an inter-row water-harvesting effect for furrow planting compared with hill planting. The furrow-planting method may offer significant potential for ameliorating the drought sensitivity of potato.

RESUMEN

El agua que corre del camellón donde se siembra papa hacia el fondo del surco puede exacerbar la sensibilidad de la planta a la sequía. Sembrando en el fondo de los surcos y construyendo camellones centrales se puede mejorar la eficiencia en el uso del agua y aliviar el estrés si se dirige el agua hacia la planta y no al revés. Durante tres años se realizó un estudio de campo para comparer el rendintiento y distribución del tamano de los tubérculos en pruebas donde se sembró papa (Solatium tuberosum L. 'Russet Burbank') en el surco y en el lomo del surco en suelo de textura gruesa, con buen drenaje y riego por aspersión. Se utilizó el diseño experimental de parcela dividida con la principal orientación de las hileras (N-S vs. E-O) y los métodos de siembra (lomo y surco) de las sub-parcelas combinado con dos profundidades en dos lugares cerca de North Dakota central. Con excepción del método de siembra y limitando las labores de cultive de post-emergencia en los tratamientos en el surco, todas las labores culturales (fertilización, irrigación) fueron idénticas y correspondieron a las prácticas convencionales para siembra de papa en el lomo del surco. La orientación de las hileras no afectó el rendimiento ni la categoría de tamano del tubércule. El promedio de rendimiento de los tres años de papas sembradas en el fondo del surco fue del 24% de tubércules más grandes (188 vs 151 g), 31% de menor rendimiento para tubércules de 454 g (2.65 vs 0.60 Mg ha^sup -1^) y 10% de mayor rendimiento total (46.2 vs 41.9 Mg ha^sup -1^) en comparación con papa sembrada en el lomo del surco. No hubo diferencias en la gravedad específica del tubérculo. Las mediciones preliminares del agua del suelo indicaron un efecto del agua entre hileras al momento de la cosecha en comparacion con la siembra en el lomo. El método de siembra en el surco puede ofrecer un significative potencial para mejorar la sensibilidad de la papa a la sequía.

Accepted for publication 28 December 2005.

ADDITIONAL KEY WORDS: furrow sowing, inter-row water harvesting, soil water content, water-use efficiency

ABBREVIATIONS: EC, electrical conductivity; E-W, east-west; FD, furrow planting with deep seed placement; FS, furrow planting with shallow seed placement; GLM, general linear model; III), hill planting with deep seed placement; HS, hill phanting with shallow seed placement; LSD, least significant difference; n, number of paired data points for soil water content sensor calibration or number of sets of readings for soil water content comparisons; N-S, north-south; r^sup 2^, coefficient of determination; RMSE, root mean square error between measured and model estimates of θ^sub v^; t test p, p-value from a two-tailed, paired-sample I test between θ^sub v-grav^ and θ^sub v-HS^; t^sub HS^, HydroSense period; UAN, urea-ammoniumnitrate; W^sub a^, weight in air; W^sub w^, weight in water; θ^sub v^, volumetric soil water content, cm^sup 3^ cm^sup -3^; θ^sub v-grav^, volumetric water content determined by soil coring and oven drying; θ^sub v-HS^, volumetric water content readout from the HydroSense soil water content sensor, γ, specific gravity of potato tubers.

Disclaimers: Use of trade names is for informational purposes only and does not constitute endorsement by the authors or North Dakota State University.

INTRODUCTION

Potatoes are widely recognized as a drought-sensitive crop (Singh 1969; Costa et al. 1997), and there has been much research on irrigation water management and its effects on yield, plant growth, tuber size distribution, and tuber quality (Wright and Stark 1990; Lynch et al. 1995; Prunty and Greenland 1997; Shae et al. 1999; Waddell et al. 2000).