Water in potato production, problems and challenges

The article characterizes the importance of water in the production and management of potato crops. Potato is a species with a relatively low transpiration coefficient, but the high biomass yield obtained from the surface unit in a short time span determines the high water needs set for 350 to 450 mm of rainfall during the growing season. The work determines the potato water requirements in individual phases of plant development, as well as analyzed the amount of atmospheric precipitation in Poland in recent years. The influence of irrigation on the yield and changes in the quality of potato tubers was also determined. In modern agrotechnics, natural rainfills replenished more and more often with irrigation allow to obtain very high potato yields. Methods improving the use of water needed for irrigation on potato plantations include: retention of winter water resources in reservoirs, cultivation on soils with high retention, compliance with optimal agrotechnical dates, cultivation of Inżynieria Ekologiczna Ecological Engineering Volume 19, Issue 6, December 2018, pages 14–25 https://doi.org/10.12912/23920629/95273 Received: 2018.09.15 Accepted: 2018.11.02 Published: 2018.12.01 „Europejski Fundusz Rolny na rzecz Rozwoju Obszarów Wiejskich: Europa inwestująca w obszary wiejskie”. Artykuł opracowany na zlecenie Centrum Doradztwa Rolniczego w Brwinowie. Artykuł współfinansowany ze środków Unii Europejskiej w ramach II Schematu Pomocy Technicznej „Krajowa Sieć Obszarów Wiejskich” Program Rozwoju Obszarów Wiejskich na lata 2014–2020. Instytucja Zarządzająca Programem Rozwoju Obszarów Wiejskich na lata 2014-2020 – Minister Rolnictwa i Rozwoju Wsi.