The effect of mulching on some physiological and production processes of the sweet potato crop

The objective of this study was to evaluate the impact of mulching with black polyethylene film on some physiological processes and the productive yield of sweet potatoes.
The experiment was carried out in 2020, in the Didactic Field of the Faculty of Horticulture in Craiova (44°17’49.5342”N, 23°51’31.0494”E). Two genotypes from South Korea were studied: ‘Pumpkin’ and ‘Chestnut’. The culture was established with cuttings obtained by forcing the tuberous roots in a heated greenhouse.
The cuttings were planted in May in layers at a distance of 1.5 m between rows and 0.3 m between plants.
The trial included two variants for each cultivar: culture with mulch and culture without mulch.
The mulching was done with black polyethylene film (17 g m^‑2) to create a favorable microclimate for the formation of tuberous roots and to avoid the formation of adventitious roots, a phenomenon that reduces production.
The results showed that mulching positively influenced the vegetative growth of plants, but also the intensity of physiological processes: photosynthesis, transpiration, stomatal conductance and photosynthetically active radiation.
By using the mulch film, the number of tubers, the weight of the tubers and the total production yield increased significantly, compared to the non-mulched variants.

IX South-Eastern Europe Symposium on Vegetables and Potatoes

R. Soare, M. Dinu, M. Botu, C. Băbeanu, M. Soare

Ipomoea batatas L., cultivar, photosynthesis, transpiration, yield

https://doi.org/10.17660/ActaHortic.2024.1391.12