ISHS Acta Horticulturae 619: XXVI International Horticultural Congress: Potatoes, Healthy Food for Humanity: International Developments in Breeding, Production, Protection and Utilization
EVALUATING VINE-KILL METHODS FOR PRODUCING SEED TUBERS OF CONTRASTING POTATO CULTIVARS ON THE CANADIAN PRAIRIES |
| Authors: | J. Wahab, G. Larson |
| Abstract:
Seed potato crops are vine-killed to ensure proper skin set and to facilitate harvest operations. Vine-kill dates should be adjusted to maximize yields of target tuber size grades. This study examined the effects of vine-kill stage (100, 107, 114 days after planting) and methods (Flail & one Reglone application, and Two Reglone applications) for contrasting potato cultivars grown under irrigation on the Canadian Prairies. The cultivars included Norland (early maturing); Russet Norkotah and Shepody (mid-season); Alpha and Russet Burbank (very late-maturing). Harvests were taken on the day of vine-kill and approximately three weeks after vine-kill. Yield estimates and tuber size characteristics were determined for combined Canada-A and Canada-B seed grade tubers. The irrigated crop produced higher over-all ‘seed grade’ yield than the dryland crop at all three harvest dates. Norland produced the highest and Alpha produced the lowest yields under both irrigation and dryland during the three harvest dates. Tuber yields and tuber size characteristics were similar for flailing and chemical desiccation across all harvest dates both under irrigation and dryland growing conditions. During the 100-day vine kill, the three-week period between chemical desiccation or flailing and harvest resulted in a yield increase of 11-14% under irrigation, and 16-20% on dryland relative to the yield on the day of vine-kill. These yield responses were due to more A and B grade tubers rather than due to tuber size differences. When vine-killed on 107 and 114 days after planting, the three-week period between vine-kill and harvest did not affect seed grade yields, tuber numbers, or average tuber size for the various cultivars under both irrigation and dryland. This study indicates that flailing and chemical-desiccation are effective vine-kill methods for harvesting seed crops of contrasting potato cultivars grown under irrigation and dryland on the Canadian Prairies. | |
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