Potato cultivars differ in response to date of planting in intercrop with poplar (Populus deltoides Bartr. ex Marsh.) in irrigated agro-ecosystem of north-west India

Abstract

Potato (Solanum tubersum L.) is the world’s third most important food crop after wheat and rice. The current study was conducted to enhance potato yield under agroforestry system through adjustment of planting date and choice of appropriate cultivar. A two-season study (2015–2016 and 2016–2017) was carried out to find cumulative and interactive effect of planting time with potato cultivars on growth and yield performance of potato crop inter-cultivated with 5 and 6-year-old poplar (Populus deltoides) block plantation (spaced at 8 m × 2.5 m). Six potato cultivars [Kufri (K.) Pukhraj, K. Badshah, K. Jyoti, K. Pushkar, K. Chipsona-1 and K. Chipsona-3] were grown at two planting dates (15 November and 30 November) under two growing environments (open-field vs. intercrop in poplar plantation). The trees attained mean diameter, height and crown spread of 18.75 cm, 15.2 m and 28.1 m2, respectively at the age of 6 years. The highest average tuber weight (44.2 g), marketable yield (15.7 t ha−1) and total yield (30.9 t ha−1) were obtained in cultivar K. Pukhraj when it was planted on 15 November in open conditions as well as intercrop in poplar plantation. Thus, under intercropping system when a suitable cultivar combined with appropriate planting date, improves marketable and total yields of potato crop which is essential for sustainability of agroforestry-based cropping systems.