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Title: YIELD AND QUALITY OF TWO US RED POTATOES: INFLUENCE OF NITROGEN RATE AND PLANT POPULATION

Author
item ESSAH, SAMUEL - CSU
item HOLM, DAVID - CSU
item Delgado, Jorge

Submitted to: International Crop Science Congress Proceedings
Publication Type: Proceedings
Publication Acceptance Date: 8/19/2004
Publication Date: 9/26/2004
Citation: Essah, S., Holm, D., Delgado, J.A. 2004. Yield and quality of two US red potatoes: influence of nitrogen rate and plant population. Proceedings of the 4th International Crop Science Congress. Sept. 26-Oct. 1, 2004. Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. CD OM Publication.

Interpretive Summary: Studies were designed to determine the influence of N rate and seed spacing on potatoes (Solanum tuberosum L.) yield, tuber size distribution, and quality of two red potato cultivars, CO93037-6R and Sangre. In the seed piece spacing experiment, seed tubers were planted 15.0, 22.5, 30.0, or 37.5 cm apart. In the N rate study N was applied at 90, 157, 224, or 291 kg/ha. Seed spacing did not influence total yield in either cultivar, but size distribution shifted from a predominance of small tubers (<5 cm diameter) at the narrowest (15 cm) spacing to a predominance of large tubers (>5 cm diameter and >284g) at the widest (37.5 cm) spacing. Even though seed spacing did not influence marketable (5 to 10 cm diameter) yield, fewer external and internal defects were observed when seed tubers of CO93037-6R and Sangre were planted at 15 and 30 cm apart, respectively. N rate did not influence total yield in Sangre, but higher total yields were produced in CO93037-6R at lower N (90 to 157 kg/ha) rates. Even though N rate did not influence marketable size tubers, fewer external and internal defects were observed when N was applied at 90 kg/ha in Sangre. Application of N at 157 kg/ha produced higher marketable size tubers with lower percent external and internal defects in CO93037-6R. Percent external defects showed some promise as a predictor of optimum seed piece spacing and N application rate.

Technical Abstract: Nitrogen (N) rate and seed piece spacing are important economic considerations in the production of potatoes (Solanum tuberosum L.). The optimum spacing and N rate vary with cultivar, geographic location, and intended market. Studies were designed to determine the influence of N rate and seed spacing on yield, tuber size distribution, and quality of two red potato cultivars, CO93037-6R and Sangre. In the seed piece spacing experiment, seed tubers were planted 15.0, 22.5, 30.0, or 37.5 cm apart. In the N rate study nitrogen was applied at 90, 157, 224, or 291 kg/ha. Total yield, tuber size distribution, external and internal defects were determined. Seed spacing did not influence total yield in either cultivar, but size distribution shifted from a predominance of small tubers (<5 cm diameter) at the narrowest (15 cm) spacing to a predominance of large tubers (>5 cm diameter and >284g) at the widest (37.5 cm) spacing. Even though seed spacing did not influence marketable (5 to 10 cm diameter) yield, fewer external and internal defects were observed when seed tubers of CO93037-6R and Sangre were planted at 15 and 30 cm apart, respectively. N rate did not influence total yield in Sangre, but higher total yields were produced in CO93037-6R at lower N (90 to 157 kg/ha) rates. Even though N rate did not influence marketable size tubers, fewer external and internal defects were observed when N was applied at 90 kg/ha in Sangre. Application of N at 157 kg/ha produced higher marketable size tubers with lower percent external and internal defects in CO93037-6R. Percent external defects showed some promise as a predictor of optimum seed piece spacing and N application rate.