Effect of the dyked furrow technique on potato yield

Summary The effect of the dyked furrow technique on potato yield was tested for 3 years in a commercial field on a sandy soil. Dykes, creating a surface storage capacity of 60 mm of water, were constructed in the furrows with special equipment after planting. Another implement, harnessed to the front of the tractor, was used to remove the dykes before harvesting. During 2 of the 3 years, the yield in the dyked furrows was 18% higher than that in the control plots. The dykes closely maintained the original volume of the ridges. The dykes seemed not to have any deleterious effect on mechanical harvesting since the percentage of tare (i.e. clods, soil and plant residue) and of rotten tubers were similar to the control.