Effect of Two Drip Irrigation Methods ( Surface and Subsurface ) in Growth and Yield of Three Potato (Solanum tuberosum L) Cultivars

Abstract

An experiment was conducted in vegetable crops farm of plant production department in Technical Agricultural College /Mosul in Rashidiyah during spring season 2013 to study the effect of three drip irrigation method ( surface and sub surface by putting the pipe at a depth of 5 and 15 cm below the surface soil in the growth and yield of three potatoes varieties ( Santa , Madeleine and Rivera ). T-Tape striped irrigation pipes with 16 mm diameter used and drippers on the dimensions of 20 cm. The study included nine different treatments carried out in the Split plot design with replications three . The results showed a significant superiority of Madeleine variety on Santa and Rivera in total and relative water content of potato leaves , the number of stems per plant , dry weight , leaf area per plant and fresh weight of the roots as well as in yield parameters ( number of tubers 10.51, plant yield 628.86 g , total tubers yield 25.152 tons . ha-1 and marketable yield 21.632 tons . ha-1 ) . It also found that subsurface drip irrigation (15 cm deep) superior in total and relative water content , mineral content (NPK) , plant dry weight , leaf area per plant ,fresh weight of roots , plant yield 625.30 g , total tubers yield 25.012 tons . ha-1 and marketable yield 21.580 tons . ha-1 .The interaction treatments between varieties and irrigation showed significant effect in some vegetative growth and yield parameters.

Keywords

Method, potato