Abstract
Stagnating potato tuber yields in Prince Edward Island (PEI) are a major economic concern. Identification of factors influencing within-field yield variation may provide insight into strategies for overcoming yield limitations. A survey approach was used where soil samples were collected from 49 commercial fields from 2014 to 2017 from a total of 289 sampling points, with points identified as having either “high” or “low” yield, determined by yield monitor as being 5.6–11.2 t ha−1 above or below average field yield, respectively. A suite of 33 measures of soil physical and chemical properties and soil pathogens were measured. Principal component analysis identified three principal components (PCs) which accounted for 85.6% of the total variation. The PC1 (reflecting 42.3% of the total variance) was associated primarily with soil texture (i.e., sand, clay) and parameters which were highly correlated with soil texture. Under the rainfed potato production on sandy-loam soils in PEI, finer soil texture is likely related to increased yield through its effect on improved soil water holding capacity. The PC2 (reflecting 29.0% of the total variance) was primarily associated with soil fertility and the PC3 (reflecting 14.4% of the total variance) was associated primarily with soil organic matter quality and soil structure. Although soil pathogens were measured at levels high enough to impact yield, they did not differ significantly between high and low yield locations. The findings of this study highlight the value in using multivariate approaches to overcome the challenges in identifying factors which control within-field yield variability.
Resumen
El estancamiento en el rendimiento de tubérculos de papa en la Isla del Príncipe Eduardo (PEI) es una preocupación económica importante. La identificación de los factores que están influenciando la variación en el rendimiento al interior del campo pudieran proporcionar una visión en estrategias para superar las limitaciones en el rendimiento. Se utilizó una estrategia de encuesta donde se colectaron muestras de suelo de 49 campos comerciales de 2014 a 2017 de un total de 289 puntos de muestreo, en donde los puntos se identificaron teniendo ya sea rendimiento “alto” o “bajo”, determinado por un monitor de rendimiento, siendo de 5.6 a 11.2 t ha-1 arriba o abajo del promedio del rendimiento de campo, respectivamente. Se cuantificó un paquete de 33 mediciones de las propiedades físicas y químicas del suelo, y de patógenos. El análisis de los componentes principales (PCs) identificó tres, que representó el 85.6% de la variación total. Se asoció al PC1 (reflejando 42.3% de la varianza total) primeramente con la textura del suelo (i.e. arena, arcilla) y con parámetros que estuvieron altamente correlacionados con la textura del suelo. Bajo las condiciones de secano en la producción de papa en suelos franco-arenosos en la PEI, la textura mas fina del suelo esta probablemente relacionada a incremento del rendimiento por vía de su efecto en el mejoramiento de la capacidad de retención de agua del suelo. El PC2 (reflejo del 29.0% de la variación total) estuvo asociado primeramente con la fertilidad del suelo, y el PC3 (reflejo del 14.4% de la varianza total) estuvo asociado primeramente con la calidad de la materia orgánica del suelo y la estructura del suelo. Aun cuando los patógenos del suelo se midieron a niveles lo suficientemente altos para impactar al rendimiento, no difirieron significativamente entre las localidades de alto y bajo rendimiento. Lo que se encontró en este estudio resalta el valor del uso de enfoques multivariados para superar los retos en la identificación de factores que controlan la variabilidad del rendimiento dentro del campo.
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Acknowledgements
We would like to acknowledge the collaborative efforts put forth by the three participating growers: Island Holdings, MacLennan Properties and Willard Waugh & Sons. Claude Gallant and Bud Platt provided technical support for the project. Karen Terry, Ginette Decker and Kyle MacKinley performed laboratory analyses. Funding for this project was supplied by the PEI Potato Board, the PEI Department of Agriculture & Fisheries Applied Research and Innovation Program (ARIP), and the Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada Agri-Innovation Program.
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Zebarth, B.J., Fillmore, S., Watts, S. et al. Soil Factors Related to within-Field Yield Variation in Commercial Potato Fields in Prince Edward Island Canada. Am. J. Potato Res. 98, 139–148 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12230-021-09825-4
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12230-021-09825-4