Comparative effects of saline water on yield and quality of potato under drip and furrow irrigation

A field experiment was conducted at the Research Farm of the Precision Farming Development Centre, PAU, Ludhiana in the Rabi season of the year 2015-2016. The potato variety Kufri Pukhraj, was sown by following drip and furrow methods of irrigation. Five irrigation treatments with good quality water (electrical conductivity, EC-0) and four with saline water treatments of 2,000 mmho/cm (EC-2), 4,000 mmho/cm (EC-4), 6,000 mmho/cm (EC-6) and 8,000 mmho/cm (EC-8) under split plot design along with three replications was followed. The results revealed that, plant height decreased with increasing salinity. Nevertheless, plant height under drip irrigation was greater than plant height under furrow irrigation at all levels of salinity. Number of tubers per plant, weight of tubers and tuber yield decreased with increasing salinity of irrigation water. However, the values of these parameters were more under drip irrigation than furrow irrigation and effects were pronounced at higher level of water salinities. Regarding tuber quality, there was a significant decrease in dry matter and starch content and increase in sugar content with increasing salinity of irrigation water. These quality parameters were observed to be better under drip irrigation over furrow irrigation method. Number of Grade A and B tubers were found to be higher in drip irrigation at levels of water salinity. On the contrary, Grade D tubers were predominant under furrow irrigation. It is concluded that, drip irrigation is superior over furrow method producing higher tuber yield with better quality having more proportion of marketable tubers even at high salinity.