Academic Research Journal of Agricultural Science and Research
 

Vol. 6(8), pp. 488-494. October, 2018.

ISSN: 2360-7874 

 DOI: 10.14662/ARJASRD2018.079

Full Length Research

Integrated Effect of Different Mulching and Furrow Irrigation Techniques on Potato (Solanum tuberosum L) Yield and Water Productivity at Kulumsa, Ethiopia

Samuel Lindi¹, Mehiret Hone¹, Eliyas Meskelu², Bakasho Iticha¹, Wubengida Admasu¹, and Kassu Tadesse¹

¹Kulumsa Agricultural Research Center, P.O.Box 489, Asella, Ethiopia. (corresponding Author)

Email: samuellindi5@gmail.com,

¹Kulumsa Agricultural Research Center, P.O.Box 489, Asella, Ethiopia.

²Wendogenet Agricultural Research Center, P.O.Box 2003, Wendo, Ethiopia,

Accepted 4 October 2018

The experiment was conducted at Kulumsa Agricultural Research Center, Tiyo District, which is located in Arsi Zone, Ethiopia during the dry season of 2014/15, 2015/16, 2016/17 and 2017/18 based on the objective to select most effective water saving techniques and improve water productivity of irrigated potato. Three types of furrow irrigation methods (alternate, fixed and conventional furrow), two mulch types (straw and plastic) and no mulch (as control) with three replications in split plot design was arranged. The over years analysis of variance revealed that, different types of irrigation and mulch types highly significantly (p<0.01) affected potato tuber yield and water productivity. Potato tuber and biological yield was highly significantly (p<0.01) influenced due to different mulch types used. In addition to this, the interaction effect of irrigation methods and mulch types had a significant (p<0.05) effect on tuber yield of potato. The maximum and minimum tuber yield of 44,866 and 39,782 kg/ha were obtained at conventional and fixed furrow irrigation methods, respectively. The maximum and minimum tuber yield of 44,136 and 39,218 kg/ha were obtained under straw and plastic mulch application, respectively. The interaction effect showed that higher tuber yield of 50,452 kg/ha was obtained at conventional furrow under straw mulching. Under deficit treatments, the higher tuber yield of 41,942kg/ha was obtained at alternate furrow irrigation under straw mulch. Therefore, for maximizing tuber yield production of potato under no water stress scenario, irrigation should be done with conventional furrow irrigation with straw mulching. On the other hand, under limiting water resource, irrigation of potato could be done with alternate furrow irrigation method with straw mulch for maximizing water productivity of potato at Tiyo district and similar agro-ecology and soil type.

Key words: alternate furrow, conventional furrow, fixed furrow, plastic mulch, straw mulch, potato, water productivity
 

How to cite this article (APA Style): Lindi, S., Hone, M., Meskelu, E., Iticha, B., Admasu, W., Tadesse, K. (2018). Integrated Effect of Different Mulching and Furrow Irrigation Techniques on Potato (Solanum tuberosum L) Yield and Water Productivity at Kulumsa, Ethiopia. Acad. Res. J. Agri. Sci. Res. 6(8): 488-494