Air Injection of Subsurface Drip Irrigation Water Improves Tuber Yield and Quality of Russet Potato

Irrigation water for potato production is becoming an issue in most irrigated production regions. Producing potatoes under drip irrigation has proven to reduce irrigation water use. However, tuber productivity has to increase under drip irrigation to offset the initial cost of installing the drip system. Ambient aeration of drip irrigation water may improve tuber yield and quality. A field study was conducted at Colorado State University’s San Luis Valley Research Center, Colorado, USA, to evaluate the effect of ambient air injection of subsurface drip irrigation water on leaf growth and tuber performance of potato cultivar Rio Grande Russet. Treatments included aerated and non-aerated drip irrigated plots that were randomly assigned within four replicated blocks. The Mazzei Venturi system was inserted in the main drip line to inject ambient air into drip tapes that supplied aerated water to the air injected treatment plots. Plants that received aerated drip irrigation water produced higher total tuber yield and increased the yield of large marketable size (> 170 g and > 285 g) tubers compared to plants grown under non-aerated drip irrigation water. The yield increases were, 8%, 19%, and 5%, for total, > 170 g, and > 285 g tuber yield, respectively. Early tuber bulking was observed, Leaf Area Index increased, and root mass production increased in plants that received aerated drip irrigation water compared to plants that received non-aerated irrigation water. Tuber external defects (growth cracks, knobs, and misshapes) were reduced by 9.2% in tubers produced under aerated drip irrigation water. Data from this study clearly indicate that ambient air injection of subsurface drip irrigation water can improve potato productivity and tuber quality. AJPR-D-20–00030R1.