Economic Evaluation of Irrigation Methods on Yield of Potato Varieties in Isfahan Province

In this study, three irrigation methods, namely, clouding tape, sprinkler and furrow in Rozveh Agricultural Research station (Fereidan Region in Isfahan) were evaluated. This study was conducted as randomized complete blocks design as a split-split strip plot layout with three replication during two years. Three irrigation systems were considered as main plots, two planting methods (one- row planting and two-row planting) as split subplots and two potato cultivars (Marfuna and Agria) as split-split subplots. Significant difference way observed between irrigation method treatments and planting method by analyzing two years results. Results of the 1st year showed the advantage of production mean in sprinkler and tape methods comparing to furrow method while the second year results showed the advantage of sprinkler method to tape method and tape method to furrow method. Comparison of yield mean of cultivars indicated that although Agria cultivar was preferred to Marfona cultivar in the 1st year, two year comparison of yield mean showed no significant difference between Agria and Marfuna cultivars with yield means of 24083 kg. and 23233 kg., respectively. The two year comparison results of yield means using different planting methods indicated that one row planting with mean yield of 24839 kg. was preferred significantly compare to two row planting with mean yield of 22927kg.. One row planting showed significant preference in the 1st and 2nd year. Two year interaction effect of treatments showed that, except cultivar × year source, other interaction effects were not significant. Tape irrigation led to highest mean of WUE equal to 4.92 kg/m3. Economic evaluation of the project was carried out using benefit -cost ratio and present value of net benefits. The results indicated that sprinkler system was more beneficial. Tape and furrow methods for potato planting stood in the next place.