ISHS Acta Horticulturae 619: XXVI International Horticultural Congress: Potatoes, Healthy Food for Humanity: International Developments in Breeding, Production, Protection and Utilization
EVALUATION OF NITROGEN BEST MANAGEMENT PRACTICES FOR POTATO PRODUCTION IN NORTHEAST FLORIDA |
| Authors: | C. Hutchinson, R. Mylavarapu |
| Keywords: | Solanum tuberosum L., seepage irrigation, cover crop, nutrient management |
| Abstract:
Best Management Practices (BMPs) have been developed by state regulatory agencies to reduce nitrate non-point source pollution in the St. Johns River watershed from potato production in the Tri-County Agricultural Area (TCAA) near Hastings, Florida. A project was developed to determine whether legumes planted as summer cover crops and/or fall cash crops could supply nitrogen to a spring potato crop reducing the need for inorganic nitrogen fertilizer. The experiment was designed as a 2 x 2 x 5 factorial design with four replications. Summer cover crop main factors were sorghum-sudan grass (Sorghum vulgare x Sorghum vulgare var. sudanese, var. SX17) and cowpea (Vigna unguiculata, var. Iron Clay). Fall treatment factors were green bean (Phaseolus vulgarus, var. Stallion) and fallow. Potatoes (Solanum tuberosum L., var. Atlantic) were planted on 28 February, 2001 and fertilized at five nitrogen rates (0, 112, 168, 224, 280 kg/ha). Potatoes were irrigated with seepage irrigation during the season. Potatoes were harvested and graded with commercial equipment into five size classes on 1 June, 2001. Total potato yield for the sorghum and cowpea main cover crop plots were not significantly different at 31.8 and 31.4 MT/ha, respectively. Total tuber yield for the green bean and fallow fall treatments were not significantly different at 31.8 and 29.6 MT/ha, respectively. However, potato plants in the green bean-0 kg N ha-1 treatment produced approximately 10 MT ha-1 more total and marketable tuber yield than the fallow–0 kg ha-1 treatment. Although this was the first year of a three-year study and a transitional period between a traditional system and an alternative system, results suggest that legumes planted in sequence with potatoes may help growers reduce dependence on inorganic nitrogen sources without sacrificing production. | |
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