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Deficit Irrigation Strategies (DI and PRD) Effects on Potato (Solanum Tuberosum L.) Yield, Nitrogen Nutrition, NUE and IWUE under Tunisian Semi-arid Conditions.
* 1, 2 , 3 , 2 , 3 , 2, 4
1  Irrigation and Fertilisation Unit, Technical Centre of Potato and Artichoke, Saïda, Mannouba 2031. Tunisia
2  Laboratory of Rural Engineering, National Institute of Rural Engineering, Waters and Forestry, University of Carthage, Ariana 2080. Tunisia
3  Research Laboratory of Agriculural Production Systems and Sustainable Development, Higher School of Agriculture of Mograne, University of Carthage, Mograne, Zaghouan 1121. Tunisia
4  Regional Field Crops Research Centre of Beja, University of Carthage. PO: 350, Beja 9000. Tunisia
Academic Editor: Cristina Calheiros

Abstract:

A reasonable supply of water and nitrogen is a key success factor in potato crop production. Excess or deficiency of these two elements has direct negative impacts on final yield and product quality. In arid and semi-arid regions, the adoption of water deficit irrigation strategies at the farm level is now an obligation to overcome water scarcity and optimise crop yields. The use of such deficit irrigation strategies also requires studying their impact on crop nitrogen nutrition and use. This work aims to study the impact of deficit irrigation strategies (DI and PRD) on potato nitrogen nutrition and use under specific climate and soil conditions in Tunisia. To achieve this objective, a two-year field trial was set up in 2021 and 2022. The experimental protocol is a complete randomised block design with three irrigation regimes: 1- Full Irrigation (FI) receiving 100% of the crop evapotranspiration (ETc), 2- Deficit Irrigation (DI75) with 75% of the ETc, and 3- Partial Root Zone Drying (PRD50) with 50% of the ETc. Our results showed that the PRD50 slightly decreased potato yield, but not significantly compared to FI and DI75. SPAD-502 values were lower with the PRD regime than with FI and DI75 at 72 and 83 DAP, but the differences were not statistically significant. The total nitrogen content of the plant was significantly affected by the irrigation regime at 70 and 100 DAP. FI had the highest N content, followed by PRD50 and DI75. The Nitrogen Nutrition Index (NNI) was also significantly affected by the irrigation regime, with the FI treatment yielding the highest values, while DI75 and PRD50 induced nitrogen stress at 100 DAP. NUE decreased slightly with the PRD50 regime, but not significantly, while PRD50 and DI75 significantly increased IWUE compared to FI.

Keywords: Deficit irrigation, Partial root-zone irrigation (PRD), IWUE, NUE, Nitrogen Nutrition Index (NNI), SPAD-502.

 
 
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