PreprintArticleVersion 1Preserved in Portico This version is not peer-reviewed
Low Hanging Fruit’ Practices for Improving Water Productivity of Rainfed Potatoes Under Integration of Cultivar Selection, Mulch Application, and Agroecological Zones in Sub-Tropical, Semi-Arid Regions
Version 1
: Received: 12 September 2024 / Approved: 12 September 2024 / Online: 14 September 2024 (03:44:21 CEST)
How to cite:
Phungula, N. P. M.; Hadebe, S. T.; Schulte-Geldermann, E.; Sithole, L.; Ngobese, N. Z. Low Hanging Fruit’ Practices for Improving Water Productivity of Rainfed Potatoes Under Integration of Cultivar Selection, Mulch Application, and Agroecological Zones in Sub-Tropical, Semi-Arid Regions. Preprints2024, 2024091010. https://doi.org/10.20944/preprints202409.1010.v1
Phungula, N. P. M.; Hadebe, S. T.; Schulte-Geldermann, E.; Sithole, L.; Ngobese, N. Z. Low Hanging Fruit’ Practices for Improving Water Productivity of Rainfed Potatoes Under Integration of Cultivar Selection, Mulch Application, and Agroecological Zones in Sub-Tropical, Semi-Arid Regions. Preprints 2024, 2024091010. https://doi.org/10.20944/preprints202409.1010.v1
Phungula, N. P. M.; Hadebe, S. T.; Schulte-Geldermann, E.; Sithole, L.; Ngobese, N. Z. Low Hanging Fruit’ Practices for Improving Water Productivity of Rainfed Potatoes Under Integration of Cultivar Selection, Mulch Application, and Agroecological Zones in Sub-Tropical, Semi-Arid Regions. Preprints2024, 2024091010. https://doi.org/10.20944/preprints202409.1010.v1
APA Style
Phungula, N. P. M., Hadebe, S. T., Schulte-Geldermann, E., Sithole, L., & Ngobese, N. Z. (2024). Low Hanging Fruit’ Practices for Improving Water Productivity of Rainfed Potatoes Under Integration of Cultivar Selection, Mulch Application, and Agroecological Zones in Sub-Tropical, Semi-Arid Regions. Preprints. https://doi.org/10.20944/preprints202409.1010.v1
Chicago/Turabian Style
Phungula, N. P. M., Lucky Sithole and Nomali Ziphorah Ngobese. 2024 "Low Hanging Fruit’ Practices for Improving Water Productivity of Rainfed Potatoes Under Integration of Cultivar Selection, Mulch Application, and Agroecological Zones in Sub-Tropical, Semi-Arid Regions" Preprints. https://doi.org/10.20944/preprints202409.1010.v1
Abstract
Unevenly distributed rainfall leads to reduced potato water productivity (WP) under rainfed production. Understanding practices that can increase WP is vital. Objectives were to (i) understand seasonal variables that influence WP under rainfed conditions and (ii) the effect of the integration of cultivar, locality, mulch on potato WP. The study was under two agroecological zones Appelsbosch (Mbalenhle locality), and Swayimane (Stezi, and Mbhava locality), under smallholder. A split plot, in a randomized complete block design experiment, consists of mulching (mulch and not mulch), and selected cultivars. Soil water content (SWC), yield, and climatic conditions were collected, water use (ET) and WP were calculated. Rainfall, ET, and SWC had a significant influence on seasonal WP. Cultivar x mulch x locality had an insignificant effect on WP, however, locality x cultivars significantly altered potato WP. Localities that had lower vapor pressure deficit (VPD), low relative humidity, and sandy soil had higher potato WP of 14.53 kg m-3. The findings suggest that localities that have less atmospheric dryness and cultivars that show stability of yield across seasons can be an easy-to-apply practice for increasing potato WP under a resource-limited environment. Mulch is important when the distribution of intra-annual rainfall does not match crop water requirements.
Keywords
evapotranspiration; soil water content; atmospheric dryness; rainfall variability; yield
Subject
Environmental and Earth Sciences, Other
Copyright:
This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
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