TITLE:
Strawponic for No-Till Potato Production
AUTHORS:
Ali Msheik, Mustapha Haidar, Hadi Jaafar
KEYWORDS:
Potato, Straw, Mulch, No-Till
JOURNAL NAME:
American Journal of Plant Sciences,
Vol.10 No.12,
December
10,
2019
ABSTRACT: Strawponic is an innovative and exotic system for growing
potato on soil surface using crop straw as cover mulch. A field trial was
carried out at the American University of Beirut in Lebanon to test the
efficacy of this system for small potato producers. Barley (Hordeum
vulgare) straw mulch at 25, 50
and 75 t/ha was used to cover potato tubers in no-till system. Potato plant number, height,
number of shoots and leaves, root and shoot dry weight, and potato yield were
collected. Results showed that all tested rates of straw significantly
increased potato yield in comparison to the till system. Marketable yield was
the highest with no-till potato at 50 and 75 t/ha compared to no-till potato at all tested surface straw
rates. None of the treatments was harmful to potato plants compared to the till
potato. This study could be a promising gate for production of potato for small-scale farmers.