Tuber Yield, Tuber Quality and Plant Water Status of Potato under Drought and Well Watered Condition
Four CIP potato clones with one check variety Asterix were grown during 2010-11 and 2011-12 at horticulture research farm of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Agricultural University to observe the effect of water stress on yield and tuber quality of potato. The present study revealed that the tuber yields of all the genotypes were reduced by different degrees of drought. Genotype CIP 393371.58 and CIP 396244.12 performed better in severe drought condition produced higher yield per plant. The highest percent of small sized and deformed tuber was found in the CIP 391004.18 and Asterix under severe drought condition, whereas the normal sized tuber was found in CIP 396244.12 and CIP 393371.58. These two genotypes also maintained more relative water content (RWC) with higher xylem exudation rate under water stress condition than the susceptible genotypes. On the basis of tuber yield and plant water status under drought condition, the genotypes CIP 393371.58 and CIP 396244.12 could be drought tolerant.