Influence of irrigation levels and mulching on growth, water use, yield, economics and quality of potato (Solarium tuberosum) under new alluvialsoil of West Bengal

摘要

The field trials were conducted on sandy-loam soil of District Seed Farm, Adisaptagram, Hooghly, West Bengal, during 3 consecutive winter seasons of 2011-12, 2012-13 and 2013-14, to study the performance of 'Kufri Jyoti' potato (Solatium tuberosum L)under different irrigation levels and mulching under West Bengal region of Eastern India. Growth attributes increased in all the irrigation treatments over the control, and irrigation at 20 mm cumulative pan evaporation (CPE) performed the best. Mulchingalso resulted in higher growth attributes over no-mulch situation. All the irrigation levels recorded higher tuber yield (grade-wise as well as total) over the control, and the total tuber yield was the highest (32.31 t/ha) with irrigation at 20 mm CPE.Consistent decline in yield (24.43 to 88.39%) was recorded with the decrease in irrigation frequency, while water-use efficiency increased linearly from 80.78 to 114.33 kg/ha-mm in response to water stress. Maximum net income and benefit: cost ratio were recorded with the crop irrigated at 20 mm CPE, accounting 179 and 54% more over the control treatment respectively. Irrespective of irrigation levels, crops in mulched plots (with paddy straw @ 5 t/ha) resulted in higher net returns and benefit: cost ratio than those crops in no-mulch plots. The plots irrigated thrice at critical stages (control) recorded 22.3, 50.7 and 15.4% higher available N, P and K content, respectively over the plots irrigated at 20 mm CPE. Quality characteristics like dry-matter content, specific gravity, crude protein, ash content, starch and vitamin C content increased with decreased frequency irrigation.