Abstract
The response to nitrogen (N) rate for two potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) cultivars grown in a sub-tropical climate was evaluated during two spring seasons. Early-maturing tablestock potato cultivars, ‘Fabula’ and ‘Red LaSoda’, were grown using surface-drip irrigation. N fertilizer was applied through irrigation drip tape at 0, 112, 224, and 336 kg ha−1 of N. There was no difference of aboveground and tuber biomass accumulation between N fertilizer rates from 112 to 336 kg ha−1 of N during both growing seasons. Seasonal differences were observed in N recovery efficiency; in Season 1, apparent N recovery (ANR) was significantly higher for N rates of 112 and 224 kg ha−1 N for ‘Fabula’ and 112 kg ha−1 of N for ‘Red LaSoda’, respectively. In Season 2, there was no significant difference between ANR values among N rates between 112 and 336 kg ha−1 of N, for both cultivars. There was a significant interaction of N rate and growing season on total and marketable yields. In Season 1, average total and marketable yields for both cultivars increased from 9.8 Mg ha−1 with no N applied, to 25.8 Mg ha−1 with 224 kg ha−1 of N; no significant differences were observed at higher N rates. In Season 2, high early season rainfall likely depleted available soil N, resulting in decreased N recovery efficiency of plants and significantly lower yield compared to the previous season. N-fertilizer rates above 224 kg ha−1 of N did not increase total or marketable yields in both seasons. High rainfall events at the beginning of the Season 2 likely caused N stress and reduced tuber yields by 54% compared to the previous season. Results also highlighted the dominant effect of environmental conditions, particularly rainfall, on tuber yield and harvest quality response to N fertigation rate.
Resumen
Se evaluó la respuesta al nivel de nitrógeno (N) en dos variedades de papa (Solanum tuberosum L.) cultivadas en un clima subtropical durante dos ciclos de primavera. Se cultivaron las variedades precoces para mesa ‘Fabula’ y ‘Red LaSoda’, utilizando riego por goteo superficial. Se aplicó el fertilizante nitrogenado en la cinta de riego por goteo a 0, 112, 224, y 336 kg ha-1 de N. No hubo diferencia de acumulación de biomasa aérea y de tubérculo entre los niveles de fertilizante de 112 a 336 kg ha-1 de N durante los dos ciclos de cultivo. Se observaron diferencias estacionales en la eficiencia de recuperación del N en el ciclo 1, la recuperación aparente de N (ANR) fue significativamente mayor para niveles de N de 112 y 224 kg ha-1 para “Fabula” y 112 kg ha-1 de N para “Red LaSoda”, respectivamente. En el ciclo 2 no hubo diferencia significativa entre los valores de ANR entre los niveles de N de 112 y 336 kg ha-1 de N para las dos variedades. Hubo interacción significativa del nivel de N y ciclo de cultivo en rendimiento total y comercial. En el ciclo 1, el promedio de rendimiento total y comercial para ambas variedades aumentó de 9.8 Mg ha-1 sin aplicación de N, a 25.8 Mg ha-1 con 224 kg ha-1 de N; no se observaron diferencias significativas a niveles más altos de N. En el ciclo 2, lluvias abundantes al principio probablemente agotaron el nitrógeno disponible del suelo, lo que resultó en una disminución en la eficiencia de recuperación de N de las plantas y significativamente mas bajo rendimiento en comparación con el ciclo previo. Los niveles de fertilizante N arriba de 224 kg ha-1 no aumentaron los rendimientos total y comercial en ambos ciclos. Los eventos de mucha lluvia al principio del ciclo 2 probablemente causaron agobio nitrogenado y redujeron los rendimientos de tubérculo en un 54% comparado con el ciclo previo. Los resultados también resaltaron el efecto dominante de las condiciones ambientales, particularmente la lluvia, en el rendimiento y calidad de tubérculo a la cosecha comorespuesta al nivel de fertiirrigación nitrogenada.
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Acknowledgments
The authors would like to thank the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS) for funding this project. We also acknowledge the support of the North Florida Potato Growers Association, the University of Florida/IFAS – Hastings Agricultural Extension Center and the UF Horticultural Sciences Department. We appreciate the field and laboratory assistance of Dr. Charles Barrett, Dr. Joel Reyes-Cabrera, Adrian Berry, Patrick Moran, Douglas Gergela, Allison Beyer, Bart Herrington, Dana Burhans, Scott Chambers, Hugh Burnham, Thaddis Merrick and Scott Taylor.
Funding
This study was funded by the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (Contract n.019693 and n.020344).
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Makani, M.N., Zotarelli, L., Sargent, S.A. et al. Nitrogen Fertilizer Rate Affects Yield and Tuber Quality of Drip-Irrigated Tablestock Potatoes (Solanum tuberosum L.) Grown under Subtropical Conditions. Am. J. Potato Res. 97, 605–614 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12230-020-09809-w
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12230-020-09809-w