Hostname: page-component-78c5997874-s2hrs Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-03T05:26:26.206Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Effects of seed crop husbandry, seed source, seed tuber weight and seed rate on the growth of ware potato crops

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  27 March 2009

P. J. O'Brien  and
E. J. Allen
P. J. O'Brien
Affiliation:
Cambridge University Farm, Huntingdon Road, Girton, Cambridge, UK
E. J. Allen
Affiliation:
Cambridge University Farm, Huntingdon Road, Girton, Cambridge, UK
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Summary

The results of 20 experiments which compared seed from July-planted crops with seed from earlier planted (April-May) crops either grown locally or from certified seed-producing areas are reported. The effects of dates of planting and harvesting of late-planted seed crops and seed storage temperature were examined in eight experiments. In five experiments, the effect of seed rate was studied on two weights of seed-tubers in the July-planted crops.

Tubers of several cultivars from the July-planted crops ended their dormancy close to the normal planting time of ware crops, 2–4 months later than tubers from spring-planted crops grown either locally or in areas certified for seed production. Tubers from seed crops planted in July produced fewer mainstems in ware crops than tubers from spring-planted crops, but effects on stem density were usually too small to have any significant effect on foliar ground cover and consequently on tuber yield. Date of planting the seed crops in July and date of harvest of the seed-tubers had no effect on sprout or ware crop growth in Record or Wilja. Ware tuber yields were similar for the different seed sources in 12 out of 15 experiments, suggesting little difference in the performance of tubers from seed crops planted early and late in the season.

At equivalent seed rates, small seed-tubers (12·5 ± 2·5 g) from July-planted seed crops usually produced more stems and tubers and greater ware yields than larger tubers (37·5 ± 2·5 g). For the smaller seed, the results suggested optimum seed rates for ware tuber yields of c. 0·88, 0·88 and 0·59 t/ha for Wilja, Record and Saturna, respectively. These are substantially lower than those currently used in the UK. For the larger seed, rates of c. 2·64, 2·64 and 1·76 t/ha were adequate for Wilja, Record and Saturna, respectively.

Type
Crops and Soils
Information
The Journal of Agricultural Science , Volume 119 , Issue 3 , December 1992 , pp. 355 - 366
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1992

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.)

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
Allen, E. J., Bean, J. N., Griffith, R. L. & O'brien, P. J. (1979). Effects of length of sprouting period on growth and yield of contrasting early potato varieties. Journal of Agricultural Science, Cambridge 92, 151–163.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Allen, E. J., O'brien, P. J. & Firman, D. (1992). An evaluation of small seed for ware-potato production. Journal of Agricultural Science, Cambridge 118, 185–193.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Burstall, L., Thomas, M. N. & Allen, E. J. (1987). The relationship between total yield, number of tubers and yield of large tubers in potato crops. Journal of Agricultural Science, Cambridge 108, 403–406.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Burton, W. G. (1963). Concepts and mechanism of dormancy. In The Growth of the Potato (Eds Ivins, J. J. & Milthorpe, F. F.), pp. 17–41. London: Butterworths.Google Scholar
Davidson, T. M. W. (1958). Dormancy in the potato tuber and the effect of storage conditions on initial and subsequent sprout growth. American Potato Journal 35, 451–465.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Fahem, E. & Haverkort, A. J. (1988). Comparison of the growth of potato crops grown in autumn and in spring in North Africa. Potato Research 31, 557–568.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Jones, J. L. (1981). Effect of date of planting on contrasting potato varieties. PhD thesis, University College of Wales, Aberystwyth.Google Scholar
Kruthe, N. (1962). Observations on the sprouting of seed potatoes. European Potato Journal 5, 316–333.Google Scholar
Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1982). Seed Rate for Potatoes Grown as Maincrop. Short Term Leaflet 653.Google Scholar
O'brien, P. J. & Allen, E. J. (1986 a). Effects of site of seed production on seed yields and regrowth of progeny tubers in potatoes. Journal of Agricultural Science, Cambridge 107, 83–101.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
O'brien, P. J. & Allen, E. J. (1996 b). Effects of nitrogen fertilizer applied to seed crops on seed yields and regrowth of progeny tubers in potatoes. Journal of Agricultural Science, Cambridge 107, 103–111.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
O'brien, P. J. & Allen, E. J. (1992). Effects of date of planting, date of harvesting and seed rate on yield of seed potato crops. Journal of Agricultural Science, Cambridge 118, 289–300.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
O'brien, P. J., Allen, E. J., Bean, J. N., Griffith, R. L., Jones, S. A. & Jones, J. L. (1983). Accumulated day-degrees as a measure of physiological age and the relationships with growth and yield in early potato varieties. Journal of Agricultural Science, Cambridge 101, 613–631.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Sadler, E. M. (1961). Factors influencing the development of sprouts of the potato. PhD thesis, University of Nottingham.Google Scholar
Soil Survey Of England And Wales (1984). Soils of England and Wales. Bulletin no. 11. Soil Survey Unit, Rothamsted Experimental Station, Harpenden.Google Scholar
Wurr, D. C. E., Fellows, J. R., Sutherland, R. A. & Allen, E. J. (1990). Determination of optimum tuber planting density for production of tubers in processing ware grades in the potato variety Record. Journal of Agricullural Science, Cambridge 114, 11–18.CrossRefGoogle Scholar