Nitrogen fertilization and irrigation affects tuber characteristics of two potato cultivars

Nitrogen fertilization, irrigation, and cultivars affect tuber characteristics such as tuber size, specific gravity, and N concentration. Few studies, however, have investigated the interaction of irrigation and N fertilization on the tuber characteristics of potato cultivars, particularly in Atlantic Canada. The objective of this on-farm study, conducted at four sites in each of three years, 1995 to 1997, was to determine the effects of supplemental irrigation and six rates of N fertilization (0-250 kg N ha(-1)) on the number of tubers per plant, the average fresh tuber weight, tuber N concentration, nitrate (NO3-N) concentration, and specific gravity of the cultivars Shepody and Russet Burbank. Nitrogen fertilization increased the average fresh tuber weight, tuber N and NO3-N concentrations, and decreased specific gravity. Effects of increasing N fertilization on tuber characteristics were often more pronounced for Shepody than for Russet Burbank, and for irrigated than for non-irrigated conditions. Shepody had greater average fresh tuber weight and tuber N concentration, lower specific gravity, and fewer tubers per plant than Russet Burbank. Supplemental irrigation increased the average fresh tuber weight and the number of tubers per plant, but it had a limited effect on specific gravity and tuber N and NO3-N concentrations. Tuber NO3-N concentration and specific gravity were strongly related to tuber N concentration, which in turn depended primarily on N fertilization. Incidents of lowest specific gravity and highest NO3-N concentration occurred with a relative yield close to or equal to 1.0. We conclude that the risks of low specific gravity and high tuber NO3-N concentration are greater when fertilization exceeds the N requirements to reach maximum tuber yield.