Effects of Water Stress on Quantitative and Qualitative Properties of Potato Crop (Agria c.v.) in Deficit Irrigation and Partial Root Zone Drying Techniques

In order to investigate the effects of deficit irrigation and partial root zone drying technique on potato (Solanum Tuberosum L. cv. Agria ) crop, an green house experiment was carried out in Shahrekord University in spring, 2012. A completely randomized block design with seven treatments and three replications was done. Potatoes were subjected to water treatments Full irrigation (FI),Deficit irrigation (DI) and Partial root zone drying (PRD) in three levels of soil matric potential( -60 , -80, -120kpa ) after tuber initiation. SAS v.9 software and LSD test at 5% probability level used for analysis of variance and comparison of means, respectively. The results of this study showed fresh and dry biomass, root weight, root length, root volume, harvest index, water use efficiency and starch at 1% and tuber dry matter and number of tuber in plant in 5% probability level were affected by different irrigation treatment. Also PRD improved biomass, root volume, tuber in plant, harvest index and tuber size. Water Use Efficiency (WUE) was also higher 21.45% in PRD-80kpa (6.85 kg/m3) treatment than the others.