Abstract
Inorganic fertilizers have become extremely important in correcting declining soil fertility in seed potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) production in Kenya. Unreliable rainfall has also limited seed production. Knowledge on water and nutrient use efficiencies in potato grown under different irrigation regimes with different nitrogen and phosphorus levels will help predict the best application rates for optimal seed potato production and yield. A study was conducted at Egerton University, Horticultural Research and Teaching Farm to determine the effect of integrated application of irrigation water, nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) use efficiencies of water, N and P. In a split-split plot design, the irrigation water was applied to maintain soil water at 40, 65 and 100 % field capacity in the main plots, N (0, 75, 112.5 and 150 kg N/ha) to subplots and P (0, 115, 172.5 and 230 kg P2O5/ha), which translated into 0, 50.6, 75.9, 101.2 kg P/ha) to sub-subplots, with each treatment replicated three times and the trial repeated once. The irrigation water was applied throughout the potato growth period through drip tube lines, with N supplied as urea (46 % N) in two splits, and P as triple superphosphate (46 % P2O5) at planting time. Data on seed potato yield was collected from each treatment at harvest and used to calculate water, N and P use efficiencies. High irrigation water at 100 % compared to 65 and 40 % rate resulted in relatively high N and P use efficiencies, but decreased water use efficiency. Application of intermediate to high N and P nutrient increased the water, N and P use efficiencies. It is recommended to apply low to intermediate irrigation water, intermediate to high N and P to increase their use efficiencies during seed potato production.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
References
Amanullah ASM, Talukder SU, Sarkar AA, Ahsanullah ASM (2010) Yield and water use efficiency of four potato varieties under different irrigation regimes. Bangladesh Res Publ J 4:254–264
Badr MA, El-Tohamy WA, Zaghloul AM (2012) Yield and water use efficiency of potato grown under different irrigation and nitrogen levels in an arid region. Agric Water Mgt 110:9–15
Blum A (2009) Effective use of water (EUW) and not water-use efficiency (WUE) is the target of crop yield improvement under drought stress. Field Crops Res 112:119–123
Bremner JM, Mulvaney CS (1982) Nitrogen-total. In: Page AL, Miller RH, Keeney DR (eds) Methods of soil analysis, part 2. Chemical and microbiological properties, 2nd edn. Number 9 (part 2), Agronomy, Am. Soc. of Agron. Inc, Soil Sci. Soc. of Am, Inc. Madison, Wisconsin, USA, pp 595–622
Costa LD, Vedove GD, Gianquintoi G, Giovanardi R, Peressotti A (1997) Yield, water use efficiency and nitrogen uptake in potato: influence of drought stress. Potato Res 40:19–34
Errebhi M, Rosen CJ, Lauer FI, Martin MW, Bamberg JB (1999) Evaluation of tuber-bearing Solanum species for nitrogen use efficiency and biomass partitioning. Am J Potato Res 76:143–151
FAO (2009) New light on a hidden treasure: international year of the potato 2008. An end of year review, 144 pp
Hassanpanah D (2009) In vitro and in vivo screening of potato cultivars against water stress by polyethylene glycol and potassium humate. Biotechnology 8:132–137
Kumar CV, Prakash SS, Prashantha GM, Kumar MBM, Lohith S, Chikkaramappa T (2013) Dry matter production and yield of potato as influenced by different sources and time of fertilizer application and soil chemical properties under rainfed conditions. Res J Agric Sci 4:155–159
Liu G, Li Y, Alva AK, Porterfield DM, Dunlop J (2012) Enhancing nitrogen use efficiency of potato and cereal crops by optimizing temperature, moisture, balanced nutrients and oxygen bioavailability. J Plant Nutri 35:428–441
Obreza TA, Sartain JB (2010) Improving nitrogen and phosphorus fertilizer use efficiency for Florida’s horticultural crops. HortTechnol 20:23–33
Olsen SR, Sommers LE (1982) Phosphorus. In: Page AL, Miller RH, Keeney DR (eds) Methods of soil analysis, part 2. Chemical and microbiological properties, 2nd edn. Number 9 (part 2), Agronomy, Am. Soc. of Agron. Inc, Soil Sci. Soc. Of Am, Inc. Madison, Wisconsin, USA, pp 403–427
Roosta HR, Shahnazari A, Nazari F (2009) Comparative effects of conventional irrigation (CI) and partial root zone drying (PRD), and various sources of nitrogen on growth and yield in potato under field condition. Am-Eurasian J Sustain Agric 3(4):643–651
Roy RN, Finck A, Blair GJ, Tandon HLS (2006) Plant nutrition for food security: a guide for integrated nutrient management. In: Food and agriculture organisation of the united nations, fertiliser and nutrition bulletin. Rome, Italy, 348 pp
Shock C, Flock R, Eldredge E, Pereira A, Jensen L (2006) Successful potato irrigation scheduling: sustainable agriculture techniques. Oregon State University Extension Service. EM8911E, October 2006
Tayel M, El-dardiry E, El-Hady MA (2006) Water and fertilizer use efficiency as affected by irrigation methods. Am-Eurasian J Agric Environ Sci 1(3):294–301
Thompson AJ, King JA, Smith KA, Don HT (2007) Opportunities for reducing water use in agriculture. Defra research project final report for WU0101
Vitousek PM, Naylor R, Crews T, David MB, Drinkwater LE, Holland E, Johnes PJ, Katzenberger J, Martinelli LA, Matson PA, Nziguheba G, Ojima D, Palm CA, Robertson GP, Sanchez PA, Townsend AR, Zhang FS (2009) Nutrient imbalances in agricultural development. Science 324:1519–1520
Acknowledgments
The authors acknowledge the National Commission for Science, Technology and Innovation for funding this study and Egerton University for logistical support.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2015 Springer International Publishing Switzerland
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Gathungu, G.K., Aguyoh, J.N., Isutsa, D.K. (2015). Effects of Integration of Irrigation Water and Mineral Nutrient Management in Seed Potato (Solanum Tuberosum L.) Production on Water, Nitrogen and Phosphorus Use Efficiencies. In: Leal Filho, W., Esilaba, A., Rao, K., Sridhar, G. (eds) Adapting African Agriculture to Climate Change. Climate Change Management. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-13000-2_15
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-13000-2_15
Published:
Publisher Name: Springer, Cham
Print ISBN: 978-3-319-12999-0
Online ISBN: 978-3-319-13000-2
eBook Packages: Earth and Environmental ScienceEarth and Environmental Science (R0)