Some unique benefits with Sudangrass for improved U.S. #1 yields and size of Russet Burbank potato

Davis, J.R. and Huisman, O.C. and Westermann, D.T. and Everson, D.O. and Schneider, A. and Sorensen, L.H. (2004) Some unique benefits with Sudangrass for improved U.S. #1 yields and size of Russet Burbank potato. American Journal of Potato Research. 81:403-413.

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Abstract

Three studies provided additional knowledge of
beneficial effects of sudangrass for yield and quality
increases of the Russet Burbank potato. Thro of these
studies showed significant 'increases of both U.S. #1 and
smooth tubers >280 g following green manures of sudangrass.
These sudangrass (HS-33) effects did not differ
from a sorghum-sudan hybrid (Trudan-8). When a sudangrass
green manure was compared with a fallow treatment,
results of the first study showed mean yield
increases of 36% for U.S. #1 tubers >280 g and yields of
a second study by 34% for U.S. #1 tubers. This same
sudangrass treatment outperformed green manures of
either Austrian winter pea, barley, or sweet corn by
increased U.S. #1 yields that ranged from 27% to 61%.
By several lines of evidence, these benefits were found
to extend beyond the effect of Verticillium suppression.
Soil N was significantly increased following green
manures of sudangrass, and these increases were in turn
negatively correlated with wilt incidence and positively
correlated with yields of both U.S. #1 tubers and tubers
>280 g. Additional benefits also included significant
increases of tuber grade percentages for marketable
tubers and of smooth tubers >280 g. Benefits from
sudangrass green manures beyond the effects of Verticillium
suppression became further evident following a
greenhouse study that involved field soil and sudangrass
that had been grown in the same field. This study corroborated both field experiments by showing increased
yields with green manures of sudangrass that approximated
5.5 t ha-1 dry wt. As with the field studies, these
yield benefits also extended beyond the effects of Verticillium
suppression and were closely associated with significant
increases of Fusarium equiseti, F. oxysporum,
and F. solani. Throughout all studies, sudangrass green
manures significantly increased microbial activities with
increased populations of Fusarium spp. and increased
concentrations in soil of mineralizable N, organic P, K,
Mn, along with the percent soil organic matter — all factors
that could have contributed to significant increases
of yield and quality.

Item Type:	Article
NWISRL Publication Number:	1175
Subjects:	Irrigated crops > Grass forage Irrigated crops > Potato Mass Import - autoclassified (may be erroneous)
Depositing User:	Dan Stieneke
Date Deposited:	20 Nov 2010 21:49
Last Modified:	01 Nov 2016 15:54
Item ID:	27
URI:	https://eprints.nwisrl.ars.usda.gov/id/eprint/27