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Effect of Straw Mulch and Irrigation Level on Yield and Water Use of Indigenous Potato

M.M.H. Chowdhury
Bangladesh Agricultural Development Corporation, Tajhat, Rangpur

M.S. Karim
Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Agricultural university, Salna, Gazipur

M.J. Hasan
Bangladesh Rice Research Institute, Joydebpur, Gazipur

D.B. Pandit
Wheat Research Centre, Nashipur, Dinajpur

M.A.H.S. Jahan
Wheat Research Centre, Nashipur, Dinajpur

Abstract/ Executive Summary:

The field experiment was conducted at the Banghabandhu Skeikh Mujibur Rahman Agricultural University during 1997-98 to study the effect of mulching and irrigation on the yield and water use of indigenous potato (CV. Laipakhri). The experiment was laid out in a split-plot design with mulching in the main plots and irrigation levels in the sub-plots. The results indicated that quite a lot of soil moisture was conserved by mulching, thereby, reduced irrigation water requirement remarkably. On an average mulching produced 16.15% higher yield over non mulching and under the highest irrigation level it saved 13.62 mm irrigation water and produced 13.3% more yields. Mulching also favored improvement of tuber size to a considerable extent. All the characters studied including yield were increased with irrigation frequency as well. The highest yield of 8.39t/ha found with four irrigation, was 65.48% higher than the yield (5.07 t/ha) of non-irrigated plot. Interaction effect further stated that both higher number of irrigation and mulching was important for growth and yield of potato. Water use efficiency (total and irrigation) of mulching was also better than non-mulching. The highest TWUE and IWUE was found in M₁l₁ although, the treatment produced 0.98 t/ha lower yield but it saved 70.9mm irrigation water than M,l.therefore, M,l, can be treated as the most profitable combination.

Keywords: Potato, Mulching, Irrigation and Water use efficiency

Location: Experimental farm of Bangladesh Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Agricultural University (BSMRAU), Salna, Gazipur

Start Date: 10-10-1997

End Date: 25-02-1998

Program Area: Crop-Soil-Water Management

Commodity: Potato

Objectives:

To study the effect of straw mulch and irrigation level on the yield and water use of indigenous potato.

Methodology:

The experiment was conducted at the terrace soil of the experimental farm of Bangladesh Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Agricultural University (BSMRAU), Salna, Gazipur with indigenous potato variety Lalpakhri in 1997-98. The area represents the agroecological zone: Madhupur tract (AEZ 28). The experimental soil was silty clay loam in texture having a pH of 6.2 and poor fertility status. The experiment was laid out in a split-plot design with three replications. The mulching (M1 ) with 12-15 cm thick rice straw and un-mulching (Mo) treatment were placed in the main plots. Five irrigation treatments viz., I0: no irrigation after seedling establishment, I1: one irrigation at 30 days after sowing (DAS), I2: two irrigation at 30 and 45 DAS, I3: three irrigation at 30, 45 and 60 DAS and I4: four irrigation at 30, 45, 60 and 75 DAS were placed in the sub-plots. The land was prepared well by deep and cross ploughing with a tractor drawn disc harrow followed by laddering. The weeds and stubble were removed and the main and sub plots were made. Ridges were made to restrict the lateral run off of irrigation water. The plot size was 3m x 2.4m with the plot to plot and block to block distances of 1.5 and 2 m respectively. The crop was fertilized with 150:60:150:20 Kg of N: P205:K20:S and 15 t Cowdung hectare-1 respectively. Cowdung, TSP and gypsum were applied during final land preparation. Half of urea and MP were applied at 15 DAS and the test had at 45 DAS. Healthy and uniform potato seeds (2.5-3.0 cm diameter) were sown in lines on November 23, 1997at 4-6 em below the soil surface. The row to row and seed to seed spacing was 60 and 20 cm, respectively. The seeds were covered immediately after seeding by the adjacent loose soils. A post sowing irrigation was done uniformly to ensure proper and uniform germination of seeds. Soil loosening, weeding and preparation of ridges along the plant rows were done at 18 to 22 days after germination (DAG). The crop was sprayed with M-45 at a regular interval of 15 days for protection against leaf light disease. Soil moisture was monitored up to 30 em rooting depth of the crop at a regular interval of 7-10 days from sowing to harvest. The data were used for computing the irrigation requirement of the crop.

Source of Information: Bangladesh J. Agril. Sci. 29(2): 243-250, July, 2002

Article Link (Online Journal):

Funding Source:

Total Budget (Tk.) :

Achievement/Findings:

Under the highest level of irrigation, rice straw mulching has saved 13.62mm irrigation water and gave 13.3% more yield of potato as well. Soil water depletion was the maximum in the non-irrigated plots and showed a decreasing trend with the increase of irrigation frequencies. Conservation of soil moisture through rice straw mulching has led to the maintenance of higher soil moisture and cooler temperature in the mulched plots that as a resulted in favorable expression of the characters studied, thereby, giving better height, more number of leaves and stems, more biomass and canopy coverage. More than 16% higher yield of potato as found in mulched plot was due to the cumulative contribution of better expressed component characters. The results indicated that potato as a moisture-loving crop and continuous higher soil moisture leads to better growth and development of component characters, which altogether contributed to higher yield.

Knowledge Management: Journal