Effects of Deficit Irrigation and Mulch on Yield and Quality of Potato Crop

Abstract

Field trials were carried out at Uswo location, located in North Rift part of Kenya during March 2016-July 2016 growing seasons. The main objective was to determine the yield and quality responses of potato crop to deficit irrigation (DI) and mulch. Experimental set up was a randomized complete block design (RCBD) with three replicates. In the study, five water levels of drip irrigation (100 % ETc, 90 % ETc, 80 % ETc, 60 % ETc and 50 % ETc) with and without mulch were considered. The 100 % ETc was used as an experimental control. Deficit irrigation was carried out at different growth stages of the plant for the remaining plots. The plots were covered during a rain event with a polythene sheet as a shelter and unrolled when there was no rain. Results revealed that plots with mulches at 100 % ETc attained 50 % plant emergence earlier than those without mulches. Also highest plant heights, stems per plant and better tuber qualities were achieved in the mulched plots under 100 % ETc. Water use efficiency (WUE) increased as the irrigation water was reduced. Tuber yields ranged from 16.2±0.6 t ha-1 to 29.5±0.9 t ha-1 and 14.3±0.5 t ha-1 to 27.3±0.5 t ha-1 for mulch and non-mulch treatments respectively. WUE ranged from 33.6 to 59.8 kg/ha/mm and 30.8 kg/ha/mm to 53.4 kg/ha/mm for mulch (M) and non-mulch (NM) respectively. Optimal crop production was obtained at 80 % ETc with WUE of 40.1 kg/ha/mm and 36.9 kg/ha/mm for mulch and non-mulch respectively. Therefore optimal crop production with minimum water use is recommended for practice in farms with scarce water resources.