Hostname: page-component-669899f699-vbsjw Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2025-04-26T22:51:06.419Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Determination of optimum tuber planting density for production of tubers in processing ware grades in the potato variety Record

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  27 March 2009

D. C. E. Wurr ,
J. R. Fellows ,
R. A. Sutherland  and
E. J. Allen
D. C. E. Wurr
Affiliation:
AFRC Institute of Horticultural Research, Wellesbourne, Warwick CV35 9EF, UK
J. R. Fellows
Affiliation:
AFRC Institute of Horticultural Research, Wellesbourne, Warwick CV35 9EF, UK
R. A. Sutherland
Affiliation:
AFRC Institute of Horticultural Research, Wellesbourne, Warwick CV35 9EF, UK
E. J. Allen
Affiliation:
Cambridge University Farm, Huntingdon Road, Girton, Cambridge, CB3 OLH, UK
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Summary

A series of experiments examining the influences of size and spacing of planted potato tubers (‘seed’ tubers) on tuber yields was conducted at four sites in the UK in 1982–84. A new approach to data analysis was used to estimate the optimum tuber planting density for different ware grades. The optimum density, which maximized returns, decreased with increasing seed tuber weight and ratio of seed-tuber cost to ware value and with lower than average total tuber yields. Changing the required ware grade from 40–65 mm to 40–80 mm had a minimal effect on the optimum tuber planting density.

Optimum tuber planting densities were lower than in published recommendations but this disparity appeared to be accounted for by differences in the number of stems produced by each planted tuber. There was some evidence that, with lower seed-tuber weights, the optimum planting density differed with site and that at optimum economic densities small and medium seed tubers outyielded large seed tubers.

Type
Research Article
Information
The Journal of Agricultural Science , Volume 114 , Issue 1 , January 1990 , pp. 11 - 18
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1990

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

Article purchase

Temporarily unavailable

References

REFERENCES

Allen, E. J. & O'Brien, S. A. (1987). An analysis of the effects of seed weight, seed rate and date of harvest on the yield and economic value of seed-potato crops. Journal of Agricultural Science, Cambridge 108, 165–182.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Anon. (1970). Set spacing and seedrate detailed recommendations. Terrington Experimental Husbandry Farm Potatoes No. 2 (Supplement), 6pp.Google Scholar
Bleasdale, J. K. A. (1965). Relationships between set characters and yield in maincrop potatoes. Journal of Agricultural Science, Cambridge 64, 361–366.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Borah, M. N. & Milthorpe, F. L. (1959). The growth of the potato plant. Report of the School of Agriculture, University of Nottingham for 1959, pp. 41–45.Google Scholar
Hart, R. (1983). Progress report on potatoes for crisps. Gleadthorpe Annual Review for 1982, pp. 12–16.Google Scholar
Jarvis, R. H. (1977). An assessment of the value of different sizes of seed potatoes of maincrop varieties. Experimental Husbandry 32, 102–114.Google Scholar
Jarvis, R. H. & Rogers-Lewis, D. S. (1974). Population studies with Pentland Ivory and Record potatoes. Experimental Husbandry 27, 23–30.Google Scholar
Jarvis, R. H. & Rogers-Lewis, D. S. (1976). Population studies with Desiree, Maris Piper and Stormont Enterprise potatoes. Experimental Husbandry 31, 135–144.Google Scholar
Mackerron, D. K. L. & Jefferies, R. A. (1986). The influence of early soil moisture stress on tuber numbers in potato. Potato Research 29, 299–312.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Mackerron, D. K. L., Marshall, B. & Jefferies, R. A. (1988). The distribution of tuber sizes in draughted and irrigated crops of potato. II. Relation between size and weight of tubers and the variability of tuber-size distributions. Potato Research 31, 279–288.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Marshall, B. & Taylor, H. (1988). Potato: optimising seedrate. Annual Report for 1989, Scottish Crop Research Institute, pp. 154–155.Google Scholar
Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1978). Seed rate for maincrop potatoes. MAFF short term leaflet 203, 14pp.Google Scholar
Munro, I. A., Hubbard, K. R. & Scourey, L. R. K. (1973). Studies with Record potatoes in the West Midlands. Potato Research 16, 168–170.Google Scholar
Pohjonen, V. & Paatela, J. (1976). Optimum planting interval as affected by size distribution in potato yield. Acta Agriculturae Scandinavica 26, 137–143.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Sands, P. J. & Regel, P. A. (1983). A model of the development and bulking of potatoes (Solanum tuberosum L.). V. A simple model for predicting graded yields. Field Crops Research 6, 25–40.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Thomas, M. N. (1988). The control of tuber size in maincrop potatoes. Phd thesis, University of Cambridge.Google Scholar
Travis, K. Z. (1987). Use of a simple model to study factors affecting the size distribution of tubers in potato crops. Journal of Agricultural Science, Cambridge 109, 563–571.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Willey, R. W. & Heath, S. B. (1969). The quantitative relationships between plant population and crop yield. Advances in Agronomy 21, 281–321.CrossRefGoogle Scholar