Research perspective on nitrogen BMP development for potato

Nutrient best management practices (BMPs) are developed to optimize tuber yield and quality, and also to reduce environmental losses of nutrients. Nitrogen (N) management is important both in controlling potato growth and development and in minimizing the risks of groundwater contamination by nitrate and emissions of nitrous oxide, a greenhouse gas. Development of BMPs for N management must consider variation in the magnitude and timing of both N supply and crop N demand. Consequently, these BMPs must reflect differences among potato cultivars, soil properties, cropping systems, water management, and climatic conditions. Despite decades of research, selection of the appropriate rate and tinting of fertilizer N application remains a challenging task. A greater understanding of soil N cycling, the development of test-based N recommendation systems, improvements in controlled-release fertilizer technology, and opportunities for spatially variable N management may provide new answers to the old question of "How much N do I apply to my potato crop, at what growth stage, and in what form?".