Production of Drip Irrigated Potatoes as Affected by Plastic Mulches and Row Covers

Field studies were conducted during 1998 and 1999 to determine the effect of different color plastic mulches and row covers on total and marketable yield and US grades of three varieties of potatoes, ‘Kueka Gold’, ‘AF1437-1’ and ‘Dark Red Norland’. Although there was an observed increase in the rate of emergence and growth of the potato plants with row covers, there was no significant effect on yield of any of the varieties. In both years all mulch treatments significantly increased marketable yields compared to no mulch. In 1998, yields of ‘Dark Red Norland’ showed a statistically significant difference between mulch color, with metallized silver and red being higher than black. In 1999, both total and marketable yields of ‘Dark Red Norland’ were significantly higher with the use of metallized silver rather than black mulch. For ‘AF1437-1’ total yield, with the use of metallized silver, was significantly higher than that of red mulch, and for marketable yield only metallized silver was significantly higher than for black mulch. Metallized silver mulch resulted in the highest marketable yields for all varieties of potatoes.