Response of potato varieties to different levels of irrigation

Abstract

The field experiment was conducted at the Tuber Crops Research Sub-Centre, Munshiganj during the rabi seasons of 2019-20 and 2020-21, to investigate the effect of different levels of irrigation on the growth, yield and yield contributing characters of potato. The experiment comprised of two factors: Factor A-four irrigation levels, viz. I₀= No irrigation, I₁= One irrigation at 30 days after planting (DAP), I₂= Two irrigations at 30 and 45 DAP and I₃= Three irrigations at 30, 45 and 60 DAP (Control) and Factor B: five potato varieties, namely V₁=BARI Alu-25, V₂=BARI Alu-28, V₃=BARI Alu-36, V₄=BARI Alu-37 and V₅=BARI Alu- 40. Results revealed that BARI Alu-36 produced the highest tuber fresh yield under well-watered condition i.e. at three irrigations 30, 45 and 60 DAP (44.57 and 45.26 t/ha in 2019-20 and 2020-21, respectively) as well as under no irrigated condition (water stress) (25.54 t/ha and 28.92 t/ha in 2019-20 and 2020-21, respectively). On the contrary, though BARI Alu-37 was a good yielder (40.88 t/ha in 2019-20 and 44.86 t/ha in 2020-21) under well-watered condition i.e. at three times irrigated condition, this variety failed to give a reasonable yield under water stress condition. BARI Alu-36 showed the lowest yield reduction (42.70% and 36.10% in 2019-20 and 2020-21, respectively) in water shortage conditions. The more the water shortage the more the dry matter accumulation trend was found in both the seasons and the maximum tuber dry matter percentages of 23.66% and 23.46% were obtained from BARI Alu-28 and BARI Alu-25 varieties under no irrigation in 2019-20 and 2020-21, respectively. Therefore, considering the yield, percent yield reduction and dry matter percentages, BARI Alu-36, BARI Alu-28 and BARI Alu-25 may be cultivated under water shortage conditions in Bangladesh.

Bangladesh J. Agril. Res. 49(1): 57-71, March 2024