• Authors:
    • Fora, G. C.
    • Solomonesc, A.
    • Moatar, M.
    • Chisalita, I.
    • Stefan, C.
    • Olaru, D.
  • Source: Journal of Horticulture, Forestry and Biotechnology
  • Volume: 16
  • Issue: 2
  • Year: 2012
  • Summary: From planting to emergence, the range is over 30 days (the potato 18-25 days). During this period must be destroyed weeds and crust can form especially on heavy land and wet weather. The best results are obtained when the works are done as soon as weeds appear. The first work is performed at 10-14 days after planting. When planting was done on rising land, harrow ground working-net, the aggregate of three fields, the working width of 8.4 m and a forward speed of 5.7 km/h, harrows destroy the weeds and crust rising land ridge, and the interval between rising land. After 1-4 days working again, this time with thinning type cultivator equipped with tracks. To destroy weeds and crust in the area of rising land and by restoring them, cover and choke the weeds that tend to rise. Successive work-net harrow and cultivator parts such rarity, recovery Billon, repeats again (when they planted tuber sprouting) or 2 times to other cultures, after intervals of 8-12 days.
  • Authors:
    • Kabat, P.
    • Wolf, J.
    • Wit, A. J. W. de
    • Diepen, C. A. van
    • Supit, I.
    • Baruth, B.
    • Ludwig, F.
  • Source: Agricultural and Forest Meteorology
  • Volume: 164
  • Year: 2012
  • Summary: Climate change impacts on potential and rainfed crop yields on the European continent were studied using output of three General Circulation Models and the Crop Growth Monitoring System in combination with a weather generator. Climate change impacts differ per crop type and per CO 2 emission scenario. Crops planted in autumn and winter (winter wheat) may benefit from the increasing CO 2 concentration. Rainfall is sufficient and if the CO 2 concentration increase is high, yields may increase up to 2090. If the CO 2 increase is less, increasing temperatures result in declining or stagnating yields after 2050. Crops planted in spring (potato, sugar beet) initially benefit from the CO 2 increase, however as time progresses the increasing temperatures reduce these positive effects. By the end of the century yields decline in southern Europe and production may only be possible if enough irrigation water is available. In northern Europe depending on the temperature and CO 2 concentration increase, yields either stagnate or decline. However in some of the cooler regions yield increase is still possible. Crops planted in late spring and summer (maize) may suffer from droughts and high temperature in summer. By the end of the century, depending on the temperature rise, crop yields decline almost everywhere. If the temperature increase is less only in north western Europe yields remain stable.
  • Authors:
    • Gu, X. X.
    • Wang, F. X.
    • Tao, L. J.
  • Source: Chinese Journal of Eco-Agriculture
  • Volume: 20
  • Issue: 3
  • Year: 2012
  • Summary: A pot experiment was conducted in a greenhouse to compare the influences of flood (F) and drip (D) irrigations on soil concentrations of CO 2 and CH 4 during potato cropping season using the static opaque chamber and gas chromatography technique. Two agronomic measures were evaluated for each irrigation regime under mulched (M) and non-mulched conditions. Three more treatments were set under mulched drip irrigation (MD) based on different wet ratio ( P) - P1 ( P=25%), P2 ( P=33%) and P3 ( P=50%). There were six treatments altogether, denoted as DP1, MDP1, MDP2, MDP3, FC and MF. Bare soils with (MBS) and without (BS) plastic film mulching were set as control treatments. Results suggested that mulching treatments increased soil CO 2 concentration by 10.4%-94.5% due to plastic film mulching increasing effect on temperature and moisture, and barrier effects on natural air transmission of the soil-atmosphere system. Mulching treatments decreased soil CH4 concentration by 5.1%-47.4%. Because of dry-wet alternation under drip-irrigation and decreased soil aeration under flood irrigation, CO 2 concentration was 7.4%-49.7% higher under flood irrigation and CH 4 concentration 6.6%-68.2% lower under drip irrigation. Soil moisture influenced greenhouse gas emission by altering soil aeration and soil dissolved organic matter. The higher the wet ratio under MD, the lower was CO 2 concentration. However, the effect of wet ratio on CH 4 concentration was not clear. Soil temperature was the main driving factor of soil respiration, which also regulated CH 4 oxidation processes. The greenhouse gas concentration in soils after DP1 irrigation showed a significant positive correlation between soil temperature and soil CO 2 concentration. Also after DP1 irrigation, a significant negative correlation existed between soil temperature and soil CH 4 concentration while a significant negative correlation was noted between soil CO 2 and CH 4 concentrations.
  • Authors:
    • Bjorneberg, D. L.
    • King, B. A.
    • Tarkalson, D. D.
    • Taberna, J. P.
  • Source: Potato Research
  • Volume: 55
  • Issue: 1
  • Year: 2012
  • Summary: Research studies have evaluated the production of potatoes ( Solanum tuberosum L.) grown in conventional and bed planting configurations. However, intercepted photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) from these planting configurations has not been quantified. A study conducted in 2008 and 2009 quantified and compared the intercepted PAR from three planting configurations (four row conventional ridged-row [4RC], five row bed [5RB], and seven row bed [7RB]), and from different plant spacings of cvs Russet Burbank, Russet Norkotah, and Ranger Russet potatoes under sprinkler irrigation. A second study was conducted in 2007 to evaluate the relationship between PAR and leaf area of Russet Norkotah and Russet Burbank for the three planting configurations. These studies were conducted at the USDA-ARS Northwest Irrigation & Soils Research Lab in Kimberly, ID, on a Portneuf silt loam (coarse-silty mixed mesic Durixerollic Calciorthid). The canopy of Russet Norkotah and Ranger Russet potatoes grown in 5RB and 7RB planting configurations intercepted more PAR during the early vegetative and tuber initiation growth stages compared to the 4RC planting configuration at equal populations in 2008 and 2009 at all measurement dates. The canopy of Russet Burbank intercepted more PAR during the early growth stage in 2008 when planted in the bed planting configurations compared to the 4RC planting configuration, but not on the July 17, 2008 and July 9, 2009 dates. The canopy cover of Russet Burbank potatoes planted in the 4RC planting configuration tended to catch up with the bed planting configurations quicker than the other two cultivars. In general, the quantity of PAR intercepted as affected by planting configuration did not influence total tuber yield and other measured production variables. Cumulative PAR interception 0-72 days after planting (DAP) was increased 35%, 38%, and 32% for the 5RB and 65%, 69%, 23% for the 7RB relative to the 4RC planting configuration for Ranger Russet, Ranger Norkotah, and Russet Burbank, respectively. Cumulative PAR interception for the season was increased 15%, 16%, and 4% for the 5RB and 23%, 23%, 5% for the 7RB relative to the 4RC planting configuration for Ranger Russet, Ranger Norkotah, and Russet Burbank, respectively. The relationship between intercepted PAR and leaf area for Russet Norkotah during the early vegetative and tuber initiation growth stages was significantly different between the three planting configurations, with intercepted PAR at a given leaf area in the order of 7RB>5RB>4RC. For Russet Burbank, the relationship was significantly different for the 5RB and 7RB compared to 4RC planting configuration only, with intercepted PAR at a given leaf area in the order of 7RB=5RB>4RC.
  • Authors:
    • Kumar, P
    • Spehia, R. S.
    • Sharma, I. P.
    • Sharma, V
  • Source: The Indian Journal of Agricultural Sciences
  • Volume: 82
  • Issue: 2
  • Year: 2012
  • Summary: A experiment was laid in split-plot design and the treatments comprised sprinkler, drip and furrow irrigation as main plot along with three doses of fertilizers, viz F 1 (NPK @ 150:150:125 kg/ha), F 2 (NPK @ 125:125:100 kg/ha) and F 3 (NPK @ 100:100:75 kg/ha) as sub-plot treatments. Results of the study indicated that irrigation methods manipulated the hydrothermal regimes of the soil comprehensively and mean maximum monthly temperature was lowered by about 1.2degreesC under sprinkler irrigation. Under drip irrigation, moisture was near to the field capacity throughout the growth period, whereas, in conventional furrow irrigation, the moisture status curve traveled from above field capacity to 50% moisture depletion conditions. The yield of tubers was appreciably higher under sprinkler and drip, compared to furrow irrigation method. F 1 and F 2 exhibited non significant differences among themselves, in respect of tuber yield, but were significantly higher than F 3. Economic analysis indicated that sprinkler irrigation and F 2 resulted in optimum benefit:cost ratio.
  • Authors:
    • Liu, H. Y.
    • Wu, X. K.
    • Wei, J. F.
    • Wei, D. P.
  • Source: Guizhou Agricultural Sciences
  • Issue: 4
  • Year: 2012
  • Summary: Water plays an important role in growth and development, yield and quality of potato. Water is required in large quantity for potato growth and development, but generally lack in the soil, and has to be appropriately supplied to meet the needs for its normal growth. Study the water requirements characteristics is the prerequisite and basis for rational irrigation of potato production. The water requirements characteristic of potato was summarized according to some relevant literature in this article, which included the water requirements and suitable soil moisture index for potato in growth period. Moreover, the effects of drought strees and supplementary water on physiological and biochemical reaction, growth and development, yield and quality of potato were introduced. Finally, the further research topics of water requirements in potato were also proposed.
  • Authors:
    • Zhang, S. B.
    • Gong, X. F.
    • Zhang, R. F.
    • Wang, X. X.
    • Xie, K. Y.
    • Mares,V.
    • Gavilan,C.
    • Posadas,A.
    • Quiroz,R.
  • Source: Scientia Horticulturae
  • Volume: 134
  • Year: 2012
  • Summary: Two field experiments were conducted in two semi-arid areas in northern China to test the response of three potato varieties to supplemental irrigation. Conventional furrow irrigation was compared to the partial root-zone drying (PRD) irrigation system at different watering levels, with and without plastic mulching. Reducing the supplementary water to one half, under both soil-climate conditions tested, did not affect fresh tuber yield; whereas water use efficiency (WUE) was equally incremented by all the reduced water treatments. When this reduction in the amount of supplementary water was managed through the PRD system, the distribution of moisture in the soil seemed to be improved and the potential evaporation was decreased due to the reduced evaporative surface exposed by PRD. The results showed that application of irrigation water per unit area can be reduced relative to common practice in Inner Mongolia and Gansu, maintaining the tuber yields currently obtained by local farmers. A further reduction in the amount of supplemental water, without a substantial decrease in yield, might be feasible with the PRD technique but this may require a more sophisticated irrigation management; and further research to estimate the cost-benefit ratio of such sophistication is needed. Results also showed that under low precipitation and low water retention capacity, the use of plastic mulching and a potato variety selected for drought-prone environments can make the difference for maintaining a high yield while reducing the wasteful use of the water resources.
  • Authors:
    • Folegatti, M. V.
    • Paulino, J.
    • Coelho, R. D.
    • Zolin, C. A.
  • Source: Engenharia Agrícola
  • Volume: 32
  • Issue: 3
  • Year: 2012
  • Summary: Although several studies have been conducted to evaluate the uniformity of water application under center pivot irrigation systems, there are few studies concerning the economic perspective of such coefficient. The aim of this study is to present a methodology to accomplish an economic analysis as support for the decision-making to retrofit emitters in center pivot irrigation systems, and to attribute an economic meaning to the uniformity coefficient of water application taking into account the response function productivity to the amount of water applied and the sale price of the crops. In the hypothetic calculation example considering the variation of revenue of potato crop under center pivot irrigation system, it was verified that the area with uniformity coefficient of water application of 90% brought an income increase of BR$ 1,992.00, considering an area about 1,0 ha. Thus, it can be concluded that the methodology presented has met the objectives proposed in the study and made it possible to attribute an economical meaning to the coefficient of water uniformity application.
  • Authors:
    • Dubois, D.
    • Gaillard, G.
    • Schaller, B.
    • Chervet, A.
    • Nemecek, T.
    • Huguenin-Elie, O.
  • Source: Agricultural Systems
  • Volume: 104
  • Issue: 3
  • Year: 2011
  • Summary: Extensive or low-input farming is considered a way of remedying many problems associated with intensive farming practices. But do extensive farming systems really result in a clear reduction in environmental impacts, especially if their lower productivity is taken into account? This question is studied for Swiss arable cropping and forage production systems in a comprehensive life cycle assessment (LCA) study. Three long-term experiments (DOC) experiment comparing bio-dynamic, bio-organic and conventional farming, the "Burgrain" experiment including integrated intensive, integrated extensive and organic systems and the "Oberacker" experiment with conventional ploughing and no-till soil cultivation, are considered in the LCA study. Furthermore, model systems for arable crops and forage production for feeding livestock are investigated by using the Swiss Agricultural Life Cycle Assessment method (SALCA). The analysis covers an overall extensification of cropping systems and forage production on the one hand and a partial extensification of fertiliser use, plant protection and soil cultivation on the other. The overall extensification of an intensively managed system reduced environmental impacts in general, both per area unit and per product unit. In arable cropping systems medium production intensity gave the best results for the environment, and the intensity should not fall below the environmental optimum in order to avoid a deterioration of eco-efficiency. In grassland systems, on the contrary, a combination of both intensively and extensively managed plots was preferable to medium intensity practices on the whole area. The differences in yield, production intensity and environmental impact were much more pronounced in grassland than in arable cropping systems. Partial extensification of a farming system should be conceived in the context of the whole system in order to be successful. For example, the extensification solely of fertiliser use and soil cultivation resulted in a general improvement in the environmental performance of the farming system, whereas a reduction in plant protection intensity by banning certain pesticide categories reduced negative impacts on ecotoxicity and biodiversity only, while increasing other burdens such as global warming, ozone formation, eutrophication and acidification per product unit. The replacement of mineral fertilisers by farmyard manure as a special form of extensification reduced resource use and improved soil quality, while slightly increasing nutrient losses. These results show that a considerable environmental improvement potential exists in Swiss farming systems and that a detailed eco-efficiency analysis could help to target a further reduction in their environmental impacts.
  • Authors:
    • Kipsat, M.
    • Chepngeno, W.
    • Rop, W.
    • Langat, B.
    • Vincent, N.
  • Source: Journal of Development and Agricultural Economics
  • Volume: 3
  • Issue: 10
  • Year: 2011
  • Summary: Soil fertility management options to restore soil fertility depletion have been developed and these consist of inorganic and organic fertilizer applications. However, the adoption rates by smallholder farmers for these soil fertility management options are negligible. The overall aim of this study was to evaluate side-by-side economic aspects of different soil fertility improvement options, which have been tested in the region. Field experiments were carried out to evaluate soil fertility management options on potato-bean production in five districts in south-rift, Kenya (Narok, Bomet, Bureti, Kericho and Konoin). It appeared that application of organic residues is a more feasible and sustainable alternative to the recommended fertilizers. However, for long term yield improvement, fertilization with these recommended fertilizers would only be profitable if applied seasonally.