Abstract
Water and nitrogen (N) management is a key factor in starch potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) production to ensure good yield and quality. Due to its shallow root system, potato is sensitive to drought and N uptake is limited to the upper soil layer resulting in leaching of nitrate. Efficient utilization of N and water can be optimized by adaptation of the cropping system and by selection of improved genotypes. A 2-year pot experiment with 14 modern starch and 3 table potato cultivars was conducted under controlled conditions in a rain-out shelter in order to investigate genotype-dependent responses to N deficiency and drought stress with regard to yield and yield components. Plants were grown at two N levels and a short-term drought-stress period during the sensitive tuber initiation stage was applied. Starch yield under control condition reached an average of 80.2 g plant−1, which was reduced under drought stress by 18% at sufficient N supply and by 23% at N deficiency. Sufficient N fertilization improved the water use efficiency under both continuous water supply and drought stress. N limitation increased the N use efficiency (NUE) at continuous watering, while NUE was not affected by drought stress at sufficient N supply but decreased under N deficiency. Genotype and drought as well as genotype and N level interactions were significant for all investigated traits, i.e. tuber yield (fresh and dry matter), starch and NKjeldahl contents, starch yield and water consumption.
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Acknowledgments
We thank Marlies Prechel, Antje Höxtermann-Gottlob, Simone Steuck, Wilma Butzmann, Regina Schmidt and Margrit Jugert for excellent technical assistance in conducting the experiments and lab analyses.
Funding
This work was funded by a grant of Fachagentur Nachwachsende Rohstoffe e.V. (FNR), FKZ 22023311.
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Appendix
The treatments were assigned as main plots (red boxes) and the cultivars as subplots (green boxes). In each year, the experiments comprised a total of 8 plants per genotype and treatment. Further details are found in material and methods. Treatments: white = full water + sufficient N supply, blue = full water + N deficiency, yellow = drought + sufficient N supply, red = drought + N deficiency. Every circle represents a plant; closed circles are additional plants for monitoring plant and tuber growth dynamic
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Meise, P., Seddig, S., Uptmoor, R. et al. Assessment of Yield and Yield Components of Starch Potato Cultivars (Solanum tuberosum L.) Under Nitrogen Deficiency and Drought Stress Conditions. Potato Res. 62, 193–220 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11540-018-9407-y
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11540-018-9407-y