Technical feasibility of fertigation in potato farming

Abstract

Excessive water use in irrigation of potato has caused concern because of the constant predictions of scarcity. The objective of this work was to study the technical feasibility of fertigation of potato. The experimental design was randomized blocks in a 2 x 3 x 3 factorial scheme with a total of 18 treatments with three replicates. The factors studied were: fertigation (two types: surface and subsurface), nitrogen (three doses: 75, 150 and 225 kg ha^-1), potassium (three doses: 210, 310 and 410 kg ha^-1). Significant interactions between the factors nitrogen and potassium were observed only for tuber weight. There were no significant differences in the types of fertigation (surface and subsurface). Significant effects were observed only for the treatment of nitrogen and potassium. It was concluded that it is possible to produce potato fertirrigated with the use of a trickle irrigation system whether it be surface or subsurface.