Effect of Nitrogen Rate on Growth,Yield, Economics and Crisps Quality of Indian Potato Processing Cultivars

A field study was conducted during 2000–2001 and 2001–2002 at the Central Potato Research Institute Campus, Modipuram, India, in order to increasing the processing-grade tuber yield of India’s first ever developed processing potato cultivars, Kufri Chipsona-1 and Kufri Chipsona-2. Tuber yield and post-harvest quality characteristics were evaluated in response to five N levels (0, 90, 180, 270 and 360 kg N ha^-1). The crop growth traits (stem number, plant height and compound leaf number) responded positively to N application, whereas the effect of N fertilization on processing-grade tuber number, total tuber number per ha and tuber number per plant was quadratic. There was a steady increase in tuber weight per plant, processing-grade tuber yield, total tuber yield and biomass yield in response to N application. Kufri Chipsona-1 produced a 23.6% higher tuber yield per plant than Kufri Chipsona-2. Agronomic N use efficiency decreased linearly with increased N doses. Specific gravity and tuber dry matter percentage responded positively to N application, while crisps colour (at harvest and after storage) and reducing sugars remained unaffected. Cultivar was the major factor that influenced the tuber quality parameters (specific gravity, crisps colour). Higher values of these quality traits were observed in Kufri Chipsona-2 as compared to Kufri Chipsona-1. Net income and benefit cost ratio (B:C) indicated that Chipsona cultivars should be fertilized with 270 kg N ha^-1 for realizing higher processing-grade yields and desirable quality tubers.     

Effects of physiological age and floating plastic film on tuber dry-matter percentage of potatoes,cv. Record

Summary Two experiments investigated the effects of five physilogical ages with and without a floating plastic film on the growth, yield and tuber dry-matter percentage of cv. Record. Samples were taken over a period that represented the early range of harvest dates used in crops destined for crisp manufacture. Plastic film increased final tuber numbers in one experiment but otherwise tuber numbers were not affected by treatments. Tuber yield was incrased by plastic film until August and by advancing physiological age until early July. Within each experiment, tuber drymatter percentage was largely a function of yield. During the main period of tuber bulking, there was a linear relationship between tuber dry-matter percentage and the mean fresh weight of tubers >30 mm when the data from both experiments were combined.     

Processing potential of potato cultivars at early harvests

Summary Assessments were made in three seasons of yields and tuber dry-matter percentages at harvests from June to early August in a range of cultivars gorwn at a coastal site in south-west Wales. Lareg differences in tuber dry-matter percentage were found between cultivars within seasons and also at similar dates between seasons.The cultivar Home Guard produced consistently high dry-matter percentages each year in the period from late June to early August but cv. Redord achieved similar or higher dry-matter contents after mid-Julyl. Most other cultivars produced lower dry matter percentages throughout the sampling period. The potential for the use of early maturing cultivars in late June and July for processing into crisps is discussed.     

Aspects of nitrogen fertilizer rate on tuber dry-matter content of potato cv. Record

Summary Effects of three rates of fertilizer nitrogen, viz. 80, 160 and 240 kg N/ha, on tuber yield and dry-matter percentage in potato cv. Record were compared in two experiments. Crop nitrogen uptake increased with application rate but total uptake differed between experiments. Tuber yield was highest following application of 160 or 240 kg N/ha but differences between these two rates were not significant. Tuber dry-matter percentage was reduced in one experiment with increasing nitrogen rate, but in the second experiment final dry- matter percentage was highest following application of 240 kg N/ha. In all treatments, positive linear relationships were found between dry matter percentage and mean fresh weight of tubers >30 mm, but within experiments, the regression coefficients were generally reduced by increased crop nitrogen uptake.     

Yield and Quality Response of Two Potato Cultivars to Nitrogen Fertilization

Potatoes require high nitrogen (N) fertilizer rates because of their poor N efficiency. Better understanding of N dynamic in potato crops could improve N efficiency and thus enhance crop profitability and reduce N losses. A similar field experiment was conducted in Switzerland in 3 years, from 2009 to 2011, to investigate the yield and quality response to N fertilization of two commercial potato cultivars with different tuber qualities, Bintje and Laura. Five doses of ammonium nitrate were tested: 0, 80, 120, 160 and 200 kg N ha^?1. Aboveground and belowground biomass evolution, total yield, starch concentration and tuber sizes were measured annually. In 2011, the total N uptake and the soil mineral N content were also measured during the growing season and at harvest.The study showed that N fertilization had a positive effect on yield and the percentage of large tubers (>?70 mm) and a negative effect on starch concentration. Both cultivars presented the same potential yield, although cv. Laura’s yield was more affected by N fertilization deficiency and more responsive to the late N fertilizer application. At harvest, both cultivars had a similar N uptake efficiency and N utilization efficiency. However, they differed with respect to N uptake dynamics. Nitrogen uptake was slower for cv. Laura than for cv. Bintje due to a longer period required for the development of the belowground biomass. The results provide useful recommendations for improvement of N fertilization practices (e.g. rate and time of application) of these two cultivars in Swiss conditions.     

Does potassium fertilizer form, source, and time of application influence potato yield and quality in the Columbia Basin?

Potassium (K) fertilizer form (liquid or granular), source (chloride or sulfate), and time of application (preplant or in-season) were evaluated for effects on potato tuber yield and quality in Washington’s Columbia Basin. Potato yield and quality did not respond positively to potassium fertilizer although pre-plant soil-test K values were in the range where adding K fertilizer is recommended in the current (1999) Washington guidelines. In one of three years, total tuber yield was reduced with inseason fertilization with potassium chloride and with 75% in-season liquid K application. While the results were inconsistent over growing seasons, a few of the in-season, liquid K fertilizer treatments resulted in a significant reduction in percent marketable yield. Thus, the study results uphold the current practice of using granular K fertilizers pre-plant. In addition, the results of this study strongly indicate that K source does not affect tuber specific gravity. The limited response of yield and quality factors to K fertilizer on sites that Washington’s current soil-test and K fertilizer guidelines indicate should be K responsive suggest that further research is needed to fine tune the guidelines     

Influence of irrigation and nitrogen management on potato yield and quality

The effects of irrigation, water and nitrogen management on yield and quality of the Russet Burbank cultivar are discussed relevant to developmental stages of growth. Recent research on the interactions of irrigation and nitrogen management on total and U.S. No. 1 yields and specific gravity are presented. Total and U.S. No. 1 yields decline with increasing soil moisture stress. Yield of U.S. No. 1 potatoes is particularly sensitive to short periods of irrigation deficit during tuber initiation. Total yield appears most sensitive to short periods of irrigation deficit during tuber bulking. Allocation of longer term irrigation deficits during years of limited water supply should be either a) avoided during mid-season tuber bulking, or b) uniformly distributed over the entire tuber bulking growth period. Yield increases with higher total available soil nitrogen under deficit irrigation, but the yield response diminishes as the amount of total seasonal water decreases. The influence of irrigation and nitrogen availability is also discussed for specific gravity and tuber maturity. Seasonal (split) nitrogen management is proposed as a method to improve yield, quality and nitrogen fertilizer use efficiency of indeterminant cultivars.     

Yield and Nitrogen Use of Irrigated Processing Potato in Response to Placement,Timing and Source of Nitrogen Fertilizer in Manitoba

Optimizing nitrogen (N) fertilizer management in irrigated potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) on coarse-textured soils is challenging. The “4R” nutrient stewardship framework of using N fertilizer at the right rate, right source, right placement and right time provides approaches to improve fertilizer use efficiency while maintaining or improving yield. This 3-years replicated field plot study evaluated effects from a series of N fertilization strategies including 10 combinations of sources, placement and timing, as well as fertigation, on irrigated processing potato (cv. Russet Burbank) grown for a total of five site-years in the Province of Manitoba, Canada. Treatments were designed to provide early to late availability of N to the potato crop. Nitrogen was applied to 80% of Provincial N recommendation to increase the likelihood of observing improved fertilizer use efficiency and effects of treatments on yields. Measurements were tuber yield, size distribution, specific gravity, hollow-heart rate, fertilizer apparent N recovery (ANR) and agronomic nitrogen use efficiency (NUE). Results showed differences in yield, quality, ANR and NUE between fertilizer treatments were generally very small or absent. Average tuber marketable yields for fertilizer treatments were significantly greater than those for the unfertilized control (P?<?0.001). Split application of urea at planting and hilling, and urea at planting with fertigation occasionally increased tuber marketable yields on sites of coarse textured soils (P?<?0.05). Use of polymer-coated urea (ESN) or stabilized urea with inhibitors (SuperU) did not affect yield, quality or N use of potato. Site-year difference (P?<?0.001) were apparent for all measures highlighting the importance of soil and climatic conditions on agronomic and environmental effects of N management practices. The results indicate current grower practice of split urea application at planting and hilling and urea at planting following by in-season fertigation are sound. Results indicate growers could shift to the more convenient practice of ESN at planting without reducing yields. Absence of treatment effects suggests N was generally not a limiting factor for the current study, indicating that the current recommendation for potato production in Manitoba over-estimate site-specific crop N needs.     

Tuber yield, storability, and quality of Michigan cultivars in response to nitrogen management and seedpiece spacing

Information is required on nitrogen (N) fertility and seedpiece management for new cultivars and advanced breeding lines. Interactions amongst N fertilizer rate, genotype, and seedpiece spacing are complex, and can affect tuber yield, quality, and storability as well as N fertilizer efficiency. A field study was carried out in 2001 and 2002 at MSU Montcalm Research Farm in central Michigan. Tuber yields and post-harvest quality characteristics were evaluated for five potato genotypes (MSG227-2, MSE192-8Rus, Jacqueline Lee, Liberator, and Snowden) in response to a factorial combination of three N levels (200 kg N ha^-1, 300 kg N ha^-1-, and 400 kg N ha^-1) and two seedpiece spacings, narrow (0.20 m or 0.25 m) and wide (0.33 m or 0.38 m). Narrow seedpiece spacing consistently produced the highest U.S. No. 1 yields in all genotypes tested (37 and 34 t ha^-1, narrow vs wide spacing, respectively). There was a tradeoff between seedpiece spacing and N level in 2001 as tuber yields were enhanced by higher N levels at wide seedpiece spacing, but not at narrow spacing. In 2002, tuber yield was not enhanced, but petiole nitrate-N and tuber-N increased as N fertilization increased. Genotype was the major factor that influenced tuber quality characteristics at harvest and for stored tubers (e.g., specific gravity, internal defects, bruising, chip color rating, sucrose, and glucose). Spacing had minimal effects, whereas higher levels of N slightly reduced specific gravity both years, reduced internal defects in 2001 and enhanced sucrose at harvest in 2002. The cultivars tested demonstrated excellent storage characteristics for different N fertility levels and seedpiece spacing combinations. Overall, the recommended N fertilizer level for moderately long-duration potato cultivars in Michigan (200 kg N ha^-1) and a narrow seedpiece spacing optimized yield and tuber quality performance while conserving N fertilizer.     

Effect of seedpiece spacing and nitrogen fertilization on tuber yield, yield components, and nitrogen use efficiency parameters of two potato cultivars

The effect of seedpiece spacing on the efficiency of nitrogen (N) use by the potato crop is generally unknown. The objective of this experiment was to determine the effect of seedpiece spacing on tuber yield, yield components and N use efficiency parameters of two potato cultivars. Potato cultivars Atlantic and Shepody were grown at two rates of N fertilization (0 or 100 kg N ha^?1) and three seedpiece spacings (20, 30, or 40 cm) in 2000 to 2002. Wider seedpiece spacing increased mean tuber weight and the number of tubers per stem, but decreased total tuber yield. The higher tuber yield at the narrow seedpiece spacing was attributed to higher biomass production in combination with lower tuber specific gravity. Seedpiece spacing had no consistent effect on plant N accumulation, and therefore no consistent effect on N uptake efficiency (plant N accumulation /N supply from the soil plus fertilizer). However, a small increase in soil NO₃-N concentration in the hill at topkill at wider seedpiece spacing suggested plant N accumulation was slightly reduced at wider seedpiece spacing, but at a level that could not be detected from a plant-based measure of N accumulation. The reduced dry matter accumulation, but similar plant N accumulation, resulted in lower N use efficiency (plant dry matter accumulation / N supply) at wider seedpiece spacing. Wider seedpiece spacing also resulted in generally lower values of N utilization efficiency (plant dry matter accumulation / plant N accumulation) for the 40-cm compared with the 20- and 30-cm seedpiece spacings. Effects of seedpiece spacing on N use efficiency parameters were generally consistent across cultivars and fertilizer N rates. Wider seedpiece spacing did reduce the efficiency of N use by the potato crop; however, the magnitude of the effect was small under the conditions of this study.     

Nitrogen Response of French Fry and Chip Cultivars Selected for Low Tuber Reducing Sugars

New cultivars ‘Alpine Russet’, ‘Dakota Trailblazer’ and ‘Ivory Crisp’ have lower tuber reducing sugars and acrylamide-forming potential. Adoption of new cultivars by growers requires information about their responses to agronomic factors such as nitrogen (N) fertilizer. The objective of this study was to determine the effect of N rate on yield and quality of new cultivars relative to conventional cultivars ‘Russet Burbank’ and ‘Snowden’. The experiment was conducted over two years as a randomized complete block design replicated four times with five N rates and five cultivars. The new cultivars had comparable or higher marketable yields, and a higher percentage of large tubers (greater than170 g) than the standard cultivars. Total and marketable yields responded quadratically to N and optimized at 231 kg ha^?1 in 2011 and 319 kg ha^?1 in 2012 for all cultivars. ‘Dakota Trailblazer’ had high hollow heart incidence (greater than 10% at N rates above 125 kg ha^?1), and excessively high specific gravity, making it undesirable for processing but with potential to be a parent in a breeding program. ‘Alpine Russet’ and ‘Ivory Crisp’ had specific gravity suitable for commercial processing, and low hollow heart incidence at all N rates. Critical petiole nitrate-N concentrations 50 and 70 days after planting for all cultivars were greater in 2012 than in 2011, suggesting that interpretation of critical values can be affected by growing conditions.     

Suitability of Organic Potatoes for Industrial Processing: Effect of Agronomical Measures on Selected Quality Parameters at Harvest and after Storage

Three factorial field experiments were conducted in two consecutive years (2003 and 2004) on two sites in order to examine the impact of preceding crop, pre-sprouting, N and K fertilization and cultivar on quality attributes of organically grown potatoes destined for processing into French fries or crisps. Tuber dry matter (DM) concentration, glucose and fructose concentrations, as well as the colour of crisps and the quality score of French fries, were assessed at harvest and after a 4-month storage period. Results suggest that tubers from organic potato cropping may be expected to have sufficiently high tuber DM concentrations (>19%) for processing into French fries without impairing the texture of the fries when concentrations exceed 23%. DM concentrations of tubers for crips (cv. Marlen) fell short of the required minimum of 22% when a combined N and K fertilizer was applied. The tuber DM concentration was significantly lower following peas than following a legume-grass/clover ley or cereals (oats or winter wheat), but only in one of two seasons. Pre-sprouting increased tuber DM concentration considerably, especially in the growing season with a high incidence of Phytophthora infestans (+1.2% absolute increase). Tuber DM concentration was significantly higher after storage in two of three experiments (+0.4 and 0.5% absolute increase). Cultivars belonging to the very early and early maturity type showed the largest relative increase in reducing sugars concentrations due to storage, ranging between 300 and 1,100%. The medium-early cv. Agria and medium-late cv. Marena proved to be best suited for processing into French fries under conditions of organic farming, as only minor deviations from the highest quality standards were established at harvest (quality index at 4.3 and 4.1, respectively). A consistently high crisp quality was achieved by the medium-early cv. Marlen, with L-values of 70.8 and 66.7 at harvest and after storage, respectively. Overall, results show that the quality variables were mainly affected by cultivar, season, storage and their interaction. The effect of agronomical measures, such as fertilization, preceding crop and pre-sprouting of seed-tubers, was rather small and their effect on internal tuber quality and quality of fried products may hardly be predictable. The quality standards for tuber raw stock can be accomplished best when adequate cultivars are chosen.     

Nitrogen fertilization and irrigation affects tuber characteristics of two potato cultivars

Nitrogen fertilization, irrigation, and cultivars affect tuber characteristics such as tuber size, specific gravity, and N concentration. Few studies, however, have investigated the interaction of irrigation and N fertilization on the tuber characteristics of potato cultivars, particularly in Atlantic Canada. The objective of this on-farm study, conducted at four sites in each of three years, 1995 to 1997, was to determine the effects of supplemental irrigation and six rates of N fertilization (0-250 kg N ha^-1) on the number of tubers per plant, the average fresh tuber weight, tuber N concentration, nitrate (NO₃-N) concentration, and specific gravity of the cultivars Shepody and Russet Burbank. Nitrogen fertilization increased the average fresh tuber weight, tuber N and N0₃-N concentrations, and decreased specific gravity. Effects of increasing N fertilization on tuber characteristics were often more pronounced for Shepody than for Russet Burbank, and for irrigated than for non-irrigated conditions. Shepody had greater average fresh tuber weight and tuber N concentration, lower specific gravity, and fewer tubers per plant than Russet Burbank. Supplemental irrigation increased the average fresh tuber weight and the number of tubers per plant, but it had a limited effect on specific gravity and tuber N and NO₃-N concentrations. Tuber NO₃-N con centration and specific gravity were strongly related to tuber N concentration, which in turn depended primarily on N fertilization. Incidents of lowest specific gravity and highest NO₃-N concentration occurred with a relative yield close to or equal to 1.0. We conclude that the risks of low specific gravity and high tuber NO₃-N concentration are greater when fertilization exceeds the N requirements to reach maximum tuber yield.     

化肥减施下木薯产量及养分吸收利用特征

木薯种植中的不合理施肥容易引起徒长、产量下降。本研究通过田间试验,设置不施肥、常规施肥、减量施肥、减量同步施肥4个处理,以探明不同施肥量及施肥时期对木薯产量及养分吸收利用的影响,为提高肥料利用效率、增加木薯产量提供依据。结果表明：施肥能够显著增加木薯的株高、茎粗及生物量;减量施肥、减量同步施肥处理木薯块根的产量极显著高于常规施肥与不施肥处理,与不施肥和常规施肥处理相比,减量施肥木薯鲜重依次增加28.15%、32.73%,减量同步施肥依次增加15.46%、19.57%;与常规施肥相比,化肥减量施用能提高木薯块根的收获指数;施肥能够提高木薯的淀粉含量,与常规施肥相比,适当减少化肥用量不会导致木薯块根淀粉含量的下降;化肥减施能够提高肥料的利用率,与常规施肥处理相比较,减量施肥处理氮、磷肥利用率分别提高8.52、5.01个百分点,钾肥利用率两者相近,减量同步施肥处理氮、磷、钾肥利用率分别提高12.65、8.09、6.26个百分点,对肥料利用率的作用更为明显。在本试验条件下,2个化肥减施的处理块根产量分别为44.93 t/hm²及40.08 t/hm²,显著高于常规施肥处理的32.58 t/hm²,肥料利用效率显著提高,达到了“减肥增效”的目的。     

Effects of fertilizer on yield and quality of Norland potatoes in northeastern Saskatchewan

Fertilizer combinations designed to study the effects of phosphorus, potassium and sulfur on yield, early tuber yields, and quality of potatoes were tested in each of three consecutive years at two sites in northeastern Saskatchewan. Yield responses to fertilizers varied from 0 to 136 cwt/acre and averaged 73 cwt/acre. Phosphorus fertilizer requirements of potatoes were lower for the Nipawin soil type (0–35 lb P/acre) than for the Melfort soil (35–140 lb P/acre) and were related to available phosphorus levels in the soil. Fertilizer containing potassium (50 lb K/acre) consistently increased early tuber yields at both sites. Yields of potatoes harvested at maturity were significantly increased by potassium at Nipawin. At Melfort, potassium fertilizer did not increase yields when potatoes were harvested at maturity. Over-fertilization with nitrogen reduced early tuber yields at Nipawin on two occasions. All fertilizer combinations significantly reduced specific gravity of potatoes, compared to the unfertilized checks. Increasing the rates of phosphorus and adding potassium generally decreased specific gravity. These effects were, however, not significant in the three-year averages. Differences in specific gravity of up to 0.006 were not reflected in overall quality ratings for boiled or baked potatoes. The addition of sulfur from gypsum did not affect early yield, final yield, or specific gravity at either site.     

Effect of Different Defoliation Systems of Ryegrass–Clover on Yield and Selected Quality Parameters of Organic Potatoes (Solanum tuberosum L.) for Industrial Processing at Harvest and After Storage

The nitrogen supply plays an important role in achieving quality characteristics in organic potato farming. Different defoliation systems of ryegrass–clover may influence the amount of fixed nitrogen available to the tubers. In a field experiment, the effect of different defoliation systems (cutting, mulching and a combination of them) of the pre-crop ryegrass–clover on selected quality attributes of organically grown potatoes, destined for processing into French fries (cv. Agria) or crisps (cv. Marlen), were conducted in two consecutive years (2003 and 2004). Parameters studied included compounds related to the sensory properties of potato food (tuber dry matter, starch, reducing sugars) as well as nutritional quality (nitrogen, minerals). Selected agronomic parameters such as total tuber yields and tuber size distribution were also compared. Furthermore, the influence of additional slurry fertilisation and 4 months of storage on these parameters were investigated. Total yields and portion of tuber yield 50–60 mm were significantly affected by the pure mulching variant in 2003. In 2003, the starch concentration at harvest, as well as after storage, was above the required minimum of 22% (cv. Marlen) and 19% (cv. Agria), while in 2004, this was slightly beneath these values. In 2004, a significant increase of starch concentration by the pure cutting variant was observed. In both years, mulched ryegrass–clover caused a decrease in tuber DM contents of 2.10 and 3.54%, respectively, compared to the cutting systems. Fertilisation significantly decreased DM and starch concentration. In 2004, the reducing sugar concentration of tubers of cv. Marlen from the pure cutting system was with 2.1 g kg^?1 FM above the required maximum of 1.5 g kg^?1 for crisps. In addition, storage led to a three to fivefold increase of reducing sugars concentrations in the tubers in this year. After slurry fertilisation, 8.8% higher N contents and up to 36% higher K concentrations were measured. Mulching of the pre-crop combined with slurry application led to an up to 61% higher tuber K concentration compared to the cutting system. The results indicate that different defoliation systems of the pre-crop ryegrass–clover and slurry fertilisation had only minor effects on internal tuber quality attributes. Quality parameters were more affected by the prevailing weather conditions in combination with the genotype of different potato cultivars.     

Studies of the evaluation of different genotypes of potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) for yield and mineral contents

Six genotypes of potato were compared with two commercial cultivars, Kufri Chandramukhi and Kufri, Chamatkar for their yield and mineral contents (i.e., iron, copper, zinc, sodium, calcium, magnesium and phosphorus). There were significant differences amongst different genotypes with respect to yield and mineral contents. The cultivar Kufri Chandramukhi, which gave also significantly highest tuber yield during both years, was found to be richest in copper, zinc and potassium. The genotypes EM/B-1601 and JF-4835 were found to be highest in iron content. The highest quantities of sodium, potassium, and magnesium were detected in the cultivar Kufri Chamatkar. The genotype J.F. 5106 was also found to be rich in magnesium content which was comparable to Kufri Chamatkar. The highest quantities of phosphorus and calcium were found in genotypes J.F. 4835 and EM/B-859 respectively. The genotype J.F. 547 was found to be poorest in iron, copper, zinc, sodium and potassium.     

Nitrogen fertilization of irrigated Russet potatoes in southcentral Alaska

Allagash Russet, BelRus, Frontier Russet, HiLite Russet, Russet Norkotah and Russet Burbank were evaluated with preplant N fertilizer levels of 0, 67, 134, 201, and 201 kg N/ha in a split application on a Knik silt loam in 1990 and 1991 near Palmer, Alaska. BelRus and Russet Norkotah yielded less marketable tubers than the other cultivars and Russet Burbank performed well under warm, dry 1990 conditions and poorly when conditions were cool and wet (1991). Allagash, HiLite and Frontier Russets were consistent producers with marketable tuber yields averaging 35.4, 32.3, and 32.2 t/ha, respectively. Marketable tuber yield was maximized with approximately 175 kg total N/ha (residual soil plus applied) and approached 43 t/ha in 1990. Splitting the N application had no significant effect on tuber yield. Newly released russets appear promising for commercial Alaska producers.     

株行距和施肥量对木薯产量及生长的影响

采用裂区试验设计方法,研究株行距和施肥量对华南5号木薯产量和生长的影响.结果表明:在本试验株行距和施肥量条件下,施肥量对木薯产量和生长的影响比株行距大.密植(0.6～0.8 m)有利于提高淀粉产量、鲜薯产量和鲜薯淀粉含量,以0.8m株行距最佳,而疏植(1.2～1.4m)有利于提高单株薯数、单株鲜薯重、单株鲜茎叶重、收获指数和茎径.施肥有利于提高淀粉产量、鲜薯产量、单株鲜薯重、单株鲜茎叶重、茎径、株高和单株薯数,但降低鲜薯淀粉含量和收获指数.丰产栽培技术要兼顾单位面积株数、单株鲜薯重和鲜薯淀粉含量.建议在土壤肥力差和少施肥时,用0.6 m株行距;土壤肥力中等且较高施肥时.采用0.8 m株行距;土壤肥力中上且优越水肥管理,采用1.0 m株行距.     

Intercropping cassava with soybean cultivars of varying maturities

Our previous work has shown that early-maturing soybean is suitable for intercropping with vassava at a high latitude (27°S) in south-east Queensland, Australia, as it does not effect the tuber yield. The present study examines whether later-maturing cultivars of soybean with higher yield potential might be more productive. Plant arrangement for cassava was the same in sole crop and in intercrop, while two soybean rows in every six rows were replaced by a row of cassava in intercropping.All soybean cultivars dominated intercropped cassava, and their dry-matter growth and seed yield were not affected by competition with cassava. Growth of cassava was, on the other hand, severely restricted by intercropped soybean, particularly by late-maturing types. After removal of early-maturing soybean, cassava recovered quickly to produce high leaf-area and effectively intercepted solar radiation. Consequential high total dry-matter production, combined with high assimilate allocation to tubers, resulted in tuber yield at the final harvest similar to that in sole cassava. After the removal of late-maturing soybean, however, recovery was poor, and with a short growing season remaining, tuber yields were only 50–60% of that of sole cassava.In addition to their adverse effect on cassave growth, late-maturing cultivars were not suitable as an intercrop because of low harvest indices and low light-conversion efficiency (dry matter produced per unit intercepted radiation), although total light interception during the whole growth of cassava/soybean intercrop was similar to that of sole cassava. The low overall light-conversion efficiency in intercropping with late-maturing cultivars was due to very low dry-matter production of soybean during pod-filling when light interception was still high.