Phosphorus Relationships in Potato Plants

Westermann, D.T. and Kleinkopf, G.E. (1985) Phosphorus Relationships in Potato Plants. Agronomy Journal. 77:490-494.

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Abstract

Maximum potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) tuber yields occur when
an active plant canopy is maintained until normal plant maturation.
Plaid nutrient concentrations and uptake rates play a major role in
maintaining an active plant top. The objectives of this study were to
relate the plant P concentrations to the P and dry matter balance
between tuber and total plant growth needs. Growth analysis data,
plant and leaf total P concentrations and content, and the petiole
soluble P concentrations were obtained on a 10-to 14-day sampling
interval from P fertilization treatments in replicated field studies.
The P concentration of the plant tops was significantly related to
the petiole soluble P concentration and the P concentration of the
active leaves. Total plant P uptake and dry matter production rates
were not adequate for the tuber growth rate when the total P concentrations
of the tops and active leaves were less than 2.2 g P kg-1.
Soluble P concentrations in the fourth petiole down from the growing
tip were less than 1000 and 700 mg kg-1 when P uptake and dry
matter production rates were not adequate for tuber growth, respectively.
Final tuber yields increased from 30 to 70 Mg ha-1 as the
number of growing days past tuber set increased from 10 to 60 days
for which the P concentration of the tops was above 2.2 g P kg-1.
The petiole soluble P concentration decreased during the growing
season following a semi-logarithmic relationship. This relationship
enabled the prediction of the petiole soluble P concentration for the
rest of the growing season and could be used to predict when to apply
supplemental P fertilizer.

Item Type:	Article
NWISRL Publication Number:	0547
Subjects:	Irrigated crops > Potato Mass Import - autoclassified (may be erroneous)
Depositing User:	Dan Stieneke
Date Deposited:	20 Nov 2010 21:52
Last Modified:	13 Jan 2017 21:54
Item ID:	435
URI:	https://eprints.nwisrl.ars.usda.gov/id/eprint/435