Articles
Influence of planting and hilling configurations on potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) production in North Dakota
Article number
1355_48
Pages
379 – 386
Language
English
Abstract
Successful potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) production relies heavily on water management due to the crop’s sensitivity to water stress from its shallow rooting system and being grown on soils with low water holding capacities.
Potato seed pieces are typically planted in a hill with subsequent additional hilling conducted for early-season weed control, to prevent tuber sunscald, and to ease harvest operations.
However, during irrigation and intense rainfall events, these hills shed water toward the furrow, especially when canopy cover is not complete, thus intensifying the water stress.
So, the question was asked if one could collect more water by manipulating the hill shape? Experiments were conducted at the Northern Plains Potato Growers’ irrigation research site near Tappen, North Dakota, USA. Treatments consisted of 1) conventional hill, 2) “M”-shaped hill, 3) flattened-top hill, 4) level soil, and 5) furrow-planting.
Five plants (tubers, roots, and shoots) per treatment were dug from each replication and measured, counted, and weighed approximately 8, 10, 12, 14 and 16 weeks after planting.
Soil moisture content in the hill and furrow of each treatment was monitored.
Results indicate that broader hills and the furrow-planted treatment should increase total and marketable potato yields if the field is not infested with an aggressive perennial weed like hedge bindweed (Calystegia sepium). When a hedge bindweed infestation was present, planting, and hilling configurations that caused the most soil disturbance (conventional hill, “M”-shaped, and flattened-top) after planting had the greatest potato yields, while those that did not disturb the soil after planting (level soil and furrow-planted) had the lowest potato yields.
During years one and three, when hedge bindweed wasn’t present, utilizing “M”-shaped, flattened-top, and furrow-planted treatments had greater marketable yields compared to the conventional hilling practice by 16, 13, and 14%, respectively.
This study has shown that the “M”-shaped hill treatment was the most consistent configuration for the greatest marketable potato yield over the three-year trial.
A record drought became a major issue during the summer of 2021 for agriculture in United States.
Growers must adapt to efficiently use water and become more sustainable within a growing system.
If rainfall and climate become more unpredictable in the future, growers will have to utilize new growing practices to conserve soil moisture content.
Evaluating different planting and hilling configurations for Russet Burbank’ potatoes has shown potential to use water more effectively.
However, more research needs to be conducted focusing on the broader impacts of planting and hilling configurations within the potato industry.
Potato seed pieces are typically planted in a hill with subsequent additional hilling conducted for early-season weed control, to prevent tuber sunscald, and to ease harvest operations.
However, during irrigation and intense rainfall events, these hills shed water toward the furrow, especially when canopy cover is not complete, thus intensifying the water stress.
So, the question was asked if one could collect more water by manipulating the hill shape? Experiments were conducted at the Northern Plains Potato Growers’ irrigation research site near Tappen, North Dakota, USA. Treatments consisted of 1) conventional hill, 2) “M”-shaped hill, 3) flattened-top hill, 4) level soil, and 5) furrow-planting.
Five plants (tubers, roots, and shoots) per treatment were dug from each replication and measured, counted, and weighed approximately 8, 10, 12, 14 and 16 weeks after planting.
Soil moisture content in the hill and furrow of each treatment was monitored.
Results indicate that broader hills and the furrow-planted treatment should increase total and marketable potato yields if the field is not infested with an aggressive perennial weed like hedge bindweed (Calystegia sepium). When a hedge bindweed infestation was present, planting, and hilling configurations that caused the most soil disturbance (conventional hill, “M”-shaped, and flattened-top) after planting had the greatest potato yields, while those that did not disturb the soil after planting (level soil and furrow-planted) had the lowest potato yields.
During years one and three, when hedge bindweed wasn’t present, utilizing “M”-shaped, flattened-top, and furrow-planted treatments had greater marketable yields compared to the conventional hilling practice by 16, 13, and 14%, respectively.
This study has shown that the “M”-shaped hill treatment was the most consistent configuration for the greatest marketable potato yield over the three-year trial.
A record drought became a major issue during the summer of 2021 for agriculture in United States.
Growers must adapt to efficiently use water and become more sustainable within a growing system.
If rainfall and climate become more unpredictable in the future, growers will have to utilize new growing practices to conserve soil moisture content.
Evaluating different planting and hilling configurations for Russet Burbank’ potatoes has shown potential to use water more effectively.
However, more research needs to be conducted focusing on the broader impacts of planting and hilling configurations within the potato industry.
Authors
M.J. Brooke, A. Svyantek, J. Stenger, C. Auwarter, D. Steele, H. Hatterman-Valenti
Keywords
water conservation, sustainable, tuber grade, tuber yield, irrigation, planting system
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