INFLUENCE OF VARIETY AND MULCH ON THE PRODUCTIVITY OF MEDIUM EARLY FOOD POTATOES

Abstract

 A two-factor field experiment of edible potatoes (Solanum tuberosum L.) was set up in 2025 in Birštonas municipality, Panemunis II village, Birutė Stepankevičienė's farm, in order to evaluate the productivity and weediness of organically grown edible potatoes when growing two different varieties and crop mulching. A two-factor field experiment was conducted in crops of medium-early food potatoes 'Vineta' and 'Aloutte' varieties. The crop was mulched with different mulches: lawn grass, hemp husks and mixed wood sawdust. Factor A – potato varieties: 'Vineta' and 'Aloutte'. Factor B – added organic mulches: without mulch (NO); hemp husks (HE); grass (GR); sawdust (SD). The variety had a significant influence on the number of stolons m^-2 of medium-early potatoes, a significantly higher number of stolons was formed by the variety 'Vineta' by 36.9 percent. compared to the variety 'Aloutte'. There was no significant difference between the mulches, all mulches had a similar influence on the number of stolons in both potato varieties. The variety had a significant influence on the yield of medium-early potatoes, more tubers were formed by the potatoes of the variety 'Vineta' by 21.3 percent. Grass mulch significantly increased the yield of both potato varieties compared to unmulched ones by 47.4 percent. When mulching potato rows with hemp seed husks, potato yield was also significantly higher compared to unmulched and mulched sawdust. The influence of variety and mulch on the number of tubers of medium-early potatoes was not determined, because medium-early potatoes of both varieties germinated similarly and there was no significant difference between them. Potatoes of both varieties formed the most tubers when covering the rows with grass mulch, significantly on average 27.6 percent. compared to unmulched and mulched sawdust and hemp husks.