Variation in crop-level water-use efficiency due to contrasting patterns of biomass partitioning among potato cultivars (Solanum tuberosum L.)

In arid southern Alberta, making efficient use of limited irrigation water is essential for increasing the production of crops like potato. The objective of this study was to test for variation in leaf-level and crop-level water-use efficiency (WUE) among eight cultivars of potato that are grown in southern Alberta. Measurements of the stable carbon and oxygen isotope composition, and the nitrogen content of plant leaf tissue were used to assess leaf- and crop-level WUE and total water-use by potato plants. In addition, aboveground plant biomass and tuber weight were determined for plants grown in a field experiment during May-August 2023. Results indicated that there were no significant differences among cultivars for leaf-level WUE. However, significant differences were observed among cultivars for crop-level WUE (ratio of tuber mass to seasonal cumulative plant water-use). Water-use by the different cultivars was strongly correlated with differences in aboveground biomass and total leaf area among cultivars. Crop-level WUE varied because of significant differences in cumulative water-use among cultivars, while tuber yield was very similar among the eight cultivars. Selection of the different cultivars has resulted in important differences in the partitioning of biomass to leaves, which controls total water-use, while leaf-level water-use and tuber yield was very similar among cultivars.

Authors

• Dhital, Sujeeta
• University of Lethbridge. Faculty of Arts and Science

• water use efficiency
• cultivar
• stable carbon isotope
• stable oxygen isotope
• partitioning of biomass
• tuber yield
• cumulative water-use

Identifier

hdl:10133/6924

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:opus.uleth.ca:10133/6924