An analysis of competition response was conducted in early potato crop to better clarify the biological relationship between yield and plant density in the Mediterranean Basin. Ten planting densities (ranging from 3.0 to 8.0 plants m-2) were studied on cv. Spunta using tuber-pieces with a different number of eyes (one eye or all eyes in 1996; one eye, two eyes, or all the eyes in 1997). Intraspecific competition reduced the tuber yield of individual plants, which became gradually less evident with increasing plant density. Competition affected the number of tubers per plant in the lower plant population only (from 3.0 to 5.8 plants m-2), whereas effects on average tuber weight were at times more marked in the higher populations (from 5.8 to 8.0 plants m-2) and other times in the lower densities (from 3.0 to 5.8 plants m-2). As a consequence of increased plant density, and notwithstanding the higher intraspecific competition, the yield of tubers per unit area increased linearly. Regardless of the number of eyes per tuber-piece, when passing from the lower to the higher plant density, yield increased from 34.0 to 54.1 t ha-1 in 1996 and from 39.9 to 56.7 t ha-1 in 1997
Effects of intraspecific competition on yield of early potato grown in mediterranean environment
Ierna A;
2003
Abstract
An analysis of competition response was conducted in early potato crop to better clarify the biological relationship between yield and plant density in the Mediterranean Basin. Ten planting densities (ranging from 3.0 to 8.0 plants m-2) were studied on cv. Spunta using tuber-pieces with a different number of eyes (one eye or all eyes in 1996; one eye, two eyes, or all the eyes in 1997). Intraspecific competition reduced the tuber yield of individual plants, which became gradually less evident with increasing plant density. Competition affected the number of tubers per plant in the lower plant population only (from 3.0 to 5.8 plants m-2), whereas effects on average tuber weight were at times more marked in the higher populations (from 5.8 to 8.0 plants m-2) and other times in the lower densities (from 3.0 to 5.8 plants m-2). As a consequence of increased plant density, and notwithstanding the higher intraspecific competition, the yield of tubers per unit area increased linearly. Regardless of the number of eyes per tuber-piece, when passing from the lower to the higher plant density, yield increased from 34.0 to 54.1 t ha-1 in 1996 and from 39.9 to 56.7 t ha-1 in 1997I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.
