Demonstrating climate change adaptation of Potato Productivity and nitrogen use efficiency by supplemental irrigation scheduling and nitrogen Rate
Project Lead: Tobin Stetson (PEI Department of Agriculture and Land)
Soil Nitrogen Analysis completed by David Burton (Dalhousie University)
This project examines the effectiveness of traditional and decision based supplemental irrigation treatments at standard and reduced nitrogen application, with the intention of obtaining the optimal soil moisture for effective crop growth.
Each trial field has 4 trials under different irrigation strategies…
- Irrigate as the farmer would traditionally decide with 100% nitrogen fertilizer inputs.
- Irrigate by maintaining soil moisture within 80-90% field capacity at tuber initiation and bulking, and at least 65% field capacity at maturation with 100% nitrogen fertilizer inputs
- Irrigate by maintaining soil moisture within 80-90% field capacity at tuber initiation and bulking and at least 65% field capacity at maturation with 70% nitrogen fertilizer inputs
- No irrigation inputs with 100% nitrogen fertilizer inputs.
In recent years on PEI as a result of climate change, the amount of precipitation that does fall during the peak growing season is less frequent, but with higher intensity and in unpredictable patterns that are not ideal to the potato crop.
Supplemental irrigation gives producers the opportunity to water their crops throughout periods of drought, during the critical stages of crop growth; while still relying on rainfall to provide the majority of the crop water requirements.
Irrigation also plays a significant role in applied fertilizer efficiency. During periods of drought fertilizer cannot dissolve without water, therefore it would not be accessible to the plants. This can cause leaching later on when there is precipitation, as the plant does not require that fertilizer at that stage of growth.
The goal of this trial is to maximize water use efficiencies and also reduce nutrient leaching. The results from this will provide farmers with answers on what irrigation strategy is most beneficial to potato production while reducing the environmental impact.
4 farms are participating in this trial.
Number of Soil and Water samples collected during 2020 Growing season for this project:
- 64 pre potato planting soil samples
- 64 mid season soil samples
- 64 post harvest soil samples
