AN EVALUATION OF NITROGEN FERTILITY MANAGEMENT IN COMMERCIAL POTATO FIELDS

Year 2019, Volume: 3 Issue: 1, 52 - 63, 18.06.2019

Brian Marsh

Abstract

Nitrogen fertility is an important
component for optimum potato yield and quality. Best management practices are
necessary in regards to N applications to achieve these goals without applying
excess N which may contribute to ground water contamination. Eight potato
fields in the Southern San Joaquin Valley were sampled for nitrogen inputs and
uptake, tuber and vine dry matter and residual soil nitrate-N. The fields had
substantial soil nitrate-N prior to the potato crop. Nitrogen fertilizer was
applied prior to planting and in irrigation water as needed based on in-season
petiole sampling in accordance with published recommendations. Average total
nitrogen uptake was 259 kg ha^-1 in 55.6 Mg ha^-1 tuber
yield and nitrogen use efficiency was good at 62 percent. Seventy-one percent
of the total plant nitrogen uptake was removed from the field in the tubers.
Soil nitrate-N increased 8 percent from pre-plant to post-harvest averaged
across all fields and was generally situated in the lower soil profile below
the effective potato rooting depth. Irrigation timing and amount was generally
good at most locations. Pre-plant soil analysis is important information to be
used in making N fertilizer recommendations. Rotation crops having deeper
rooting growth would be able to utilize nitrogen that remained in the soil
profile. 

Keywords

Irrigation management, leaching potential, nitrogen

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