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Potato nutrient management in sustainable cropping systems

  • Symposium Presentation Of The Potato Association Of America Production And Management Section
  • Published:
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Abstract

Sustainable nutrient management involves a set of management practices designed to conserve soil resources, to maintain or enhance productivity, and to help reduce growers’ reliance on chemical fertilizers. Sustainable nutrient management systems will most certainly rely heavily on the use of legume rotation crops and/or organic soil amendments. To realize the full benefit to the crop ecosystem, sustainable nutrient management programs will also likely require longer crop rotations with less frequent potato production. There is considerable research evidence indicating that these systems can maintain or increase productivity while having positive impacts on nutrient supply, soil physical properties, and soil conservation. However, their successful adoption and continued use on a large scale will require resolution of uncertainties related to economic risk associated with inconsistent nutrient availability in alternative nutrient management systems, potential environmental risks associated with excessive P applications in animal manures, and the potential for increased potato pest incidence resulting from manure application.

Resumen

El manejo sostenible de nutrientes incluye un conjunto de practicas diseñadas para conservar los recursos del suelo, mantener o intensificar la productividad y ayudar a los agricultores a reducir la dependencia que tienen en los fertilizantes químicos. Los sistemas de manejo sostenible de nutrientes confía mayormente en el uso de leguminosas como cultivos de rotación y/o enmiendas orgánicas del suelo. Para darse cuenta del beneficio del ecosistema del cultivo, el programa de manejo sostenible de nutrientes requerirá de períodos más largos de rotación y de cultivos de papa menos frecuentes. Existe una considerable evidencia de investigación que indica que estos sistemas pueden mantener o incrementar la productividad y al mismo tiempo tienen un impacto positivo sobre el suministro de nutrientes, propiedades físicas del suelo y su conservación. Sin embargo, su completa adopción y uso continuado en gran escala requerirá de resolver ciertas dudas relacionadas con el riesgo económico asociado a la disponibilidad irregular de nutrientes en los sistemas de manejo alternativo, riesgos potenciales del medio ambiente asociados con una excesiva aplicación de fósforo contenido en el estiércol y el potencial para implementar la incidencia de enfermedades como resultado de la aplicación de estiércol.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. University of Idaho, 1776 Science Center Dr, Ste 205, 83402, Idaho Falls, ID, USA

    J. C. Stark

  2. Department of Plant, Soil & Environmental Sciences, The University of Maine, 5722 Deering Hall, 04469-5722, Orono, ME, USA

    G. A. Porter

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  1. J. C. Stark
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Stark, J.C., Porter, G.A. Potato nutrient management in sustainable cropping systems. Am. J. Pot Res 82, 329–338 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02871963

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