Hostname: page-component-586b7cd67f-rcrh6 Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-30T15:45:19.407Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

The interactions of water and fertilizer nitrogen in effects on growth pattern and yield of potatoes

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  27 March 2009

B. J. Clutterbuck  and
K. Simpson
B. J. Clutterbuck
Affiliation:
The Edinburgh School of Agriculture, Edinburgh
K. Simpson
Affiliation:
The Edinburgh School of Agriculture, Edinburgh
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Summary

Three field experiments in 2 years were made in S.E. Scotland to investigate the effect of water (normal rainfall or irrigation to maintain soil moisture tension between pF 2·0 and 2·5) on the response of the potato crop to nitrogen fertilizer (0, 100, 200 or 300 kg N/ha).

Final tuber yield was closely related to leaf area duration. Addition of water reduced the delay in early haulm growth resulting from fertilizer nitrogen application. The beneficial effect of reducing moisture tension could not be related to water per se, nitrate, ammonium or conductivity levels in the fertilizer band or nitrogen uptake. Accumulation of nitrate in the roots and stems + petioles early in the season indicated that the rate of protein synthesis was reduced at high soil moisture tension in the presence of fertilizer nitrogen.

In a long growing season (1971, 153 days) there was a significant response of tuber yield to nitrogen, with an increase in yield even at the highest rate tested (300 kg N/ha) and irrigation enhanced this response.

In a normal season (1970, ca.130 days) there was a significant irrigation x nitrogen interaction on tuber yield. Irrigation increased the optimum rate of nitrogen from 100 to 200 kg N/ha in one experiment and from nil to 200 kg N/ha in another.

Addition of water increased the number of tubers at harvest but the effect of nitrogen was less consistent. Yield increases resulting from application of nitrogen or reduction in soil moisture tension were mainly due to increases in the proportion of large tubers.

Type
Research Article
Information
The Journal of Agricultural Science , Volume 91 , Issue 1 , August 1978 , pp. 161 - 172
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1978

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

Baldwin, J. H. (1963). A comparison of sprouted and unsprouted potato seed with fertilizer applied in three different ways. Experimental Husbandry 9, 14–18.Google Scholar
Birch, J. A., Devine, J. R., Holmes, M. R. J. & Whitear, J. D. (1967). Field experiments on the fertilizer requirements of maincrop potatoes. Journal of Agricultural Science, Cambridge 69, 13–24.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Bremner, J. M. & Jenkinson, D. S. (1960). Determination of organic carbon in soil. I. Oxidation by dichromate of organic matter in soil and plant materials. Journal of Soil Science 11, 394–402.Google Scholar
Clutterbuck, B. J. (1972). A study of the effects of soil moisture on fertilizer response in crops. Ph.D. thesis, University of Edinburgh, pp. 160.Google Scholar
Cooke, G. W. (1949). Placement of fertilizer for potatoes. Journal of Agricultural Science, Cambridge 39, 96–103.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Cooke, G. W., Jackson, M. V. & Widdowson, F. V. (1954). Placement of fertilizers for potatoes planted by machines. Journal of Agricultural Science, Cambridge 44, 327–339.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Ellison, J. H. & Jacob, W. C. (1954). Further studies concerning the influence of irrigation on the nitrogen, phosphorus and potash requirements of six potato varieties. American Potato Journal 31, 141–151.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Farbrother, H. G. (1957). On an electrical resistance technique for the study of soil moisture problems in the field. Empire Cotton Growing Review 34, 71–92.Google Scholar
Hanley, F., Jarvis, R. H. & Ridgman, W. J. (1965). The effects of fertilizers on the bulking of Majestic potatoes. Journal of Agricultural Science, Cambridge 65, 159–169.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Hende, A.Den, Van, Cottenie, A. & Jonghe, P. De (1953). The value of some methods for chemical soil analysis applied to different Belgian soil types. Transactions of International Society Soil Science Comm. II and IV 2, 307–317.Google Scholar
Ivins, J. D. (1963). Agronomic management of the potato. In The Growth of the Potato, Proceedings of the 10th Easter School in Agricultural Science, University of Nottingham (ed. Ivins, J. D. and Milthorpe, F. L.), pp. 303–310.Google Scholar
Ivins, J. D. & Bremner, P. M. (1965). Growth, development and yield in the potato. Outlook on Agriculture 4, 211–217.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
McDermott, N. & Ivins, J. D. (1957). Rainfall as a factor influencing the yields of potato crops. National Agricultural Advisory Service Quarterly Review 27, 106–108.Google Scholar
North, J. J. (1962). Irrigating potatoes. Agriculture 69, 76–80.Google Scholar
North, J. J. (1964). Irrigation of crops and grassland. Agricultural Progress 39, 89–96.Google Scholar
Penman, H. L. (1962). Woburn irrigation, 1951–59. III. Results for rotation crops. Journal of Agricultural Science, Cambridge 58, 365–379.Google Scholar
Price, T. J. A. & Harvey, P. N. (1962). Effect of irrigation on sugar beet and potatoes. Experimental Husbandry 7, 1–7.Google Scholar
Radley, R. W. (1963). The effect of season on growth and development of the potato. In The Growth of the Potato, Proceedings of the Wth Easter School in Agricultural Science, University of Nottingham (ed. Ivins, J. D. and Milthorpe, F. L.), pp. 211–220.Google Scholar
Ragg, J. M. & Futty, D. W. (1967). Soils of the country round Haddington and Eyemouth. Memoirs of the Soil Survey of Scotland. H.M.S.O.Google Scholar
Russell, E. J. & Garner, H. V. (1941). The Rothamsted experiments on the manuring of potatoes. Part III. The effect of fertilizers on the habit of growth and other characters of potatoes. General Summary. Empire Journal of Experimental Agriculture 9, 227–235.Google Scholar
Salter, P. J. & Goode, J. E. (1967). Crop responses to water at different stages of growth. Research Review no. 2, Commonwealth Bureau of Horticulture and Plantation Crops, East Mailing, Kent.Google Scholar
Simpson, K. (1962). Effects of soil-moisture tension and fertilizers on the yield, growth and phosphorus uptake of potatoes. Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture 13, 236–248.Google Scholar
Singh, G. (1969). A review of the soil moisture relationship in potatoes. American Potato Journal 46, 398–403.Google Scholar
Staxman, W. P., Valk, G. A. & Harst, G. G.Deb, Van (1969). Determination of soil moisture retention curves. I. Sand-box apparatus. 3rd ed.Institute for Land and Water Management Research, Wageningen.Google Scholar
Waring, S. A. & Bremner, J. M. (1964). Ammonium production in soil under waterlogged conditions as an index of nitrogen availability. Nature, London 201, 951–952.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Warren, K. S. (1962). Ammonia toxicity and pH. Nature, London 195, 47–49.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Wellings, L. W. (1972). The effect of seed rate, nitrogen and irrigation on the yield of Pentland Crown potatoes. Experimental Husbandry 22, 39–50Google Scholar
Widdowson, F. V., Penny, A. & Cooke, G. W. (1960). The value of calcium nitrate and urea for main crop potatoes and kale. Journal of Agricultural Science, Cambridge 55, 1–10.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Wright, M. J. & Davison, K. L. (1964). Nitrate accumulation in crops and nitrate poisoning in animals. Advances in Agronomy 16, 197–247.Google Scholar