WATER DEPLETION DEPTH FOR IRRIGATION OF POTATO CULTIVAR ÁGATA

ABSTRACT Potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) cultivation has a high demand for management and treatments during the vegetative cycle in the field. Among these requirements, water management is a limiting factor of tuber productivity and quality. This study aimed to determine the most appropriate soil water depletion depth for irrigation management in potato crops of Ágata cultivar, under the edaphoclimatic conditions of Guarapuava-PR, considering its influence on crop vegetative development. The study was conducted using four water depletion depths in the soil (12, 24, 36, and 48 mm). The different irrigation treatments promoted differences in shoot dry mass, leaf area index (LAI), number of tubers per plant, and productivity. The highest yield was observed for 27.62 mm depletion. When irrigation depth was increased to 48 mm, tubers showed individual mass reduction and hence productivity, affecting commercial classification. A cumulative depletion of about 27 mm between irrigations proved to be the most adequate management to supply the water demand of Ágata potato cultivar.