Best Management Practices for Nitrogen Use: Irrigated Potatoes

Nitrogen (N) is an essential plant nutrient that contributes greatly to the economic viability of irrigated potato production.Unfortunately, the nitrate form of N can leach into groundwater if N is not managed properly. Contamination of water resources by agricultural production systems will not be tolerated by the public and could lead to laws regulating the use of N fertilizers if this contamination is not minimized. Research-based Best Management Practices (BMPs) have been developed specifically for irrigated potatoes and integrated into the BMPs that were developed previously for other agronomic crops on coarse-textured soils. Various strategies are provided that take into account N rate, timing of application, method of application, and N source. Optimum N management also depends on the variety grown and its harvest date, so basic principles are similar but specific recommendations differ for early, mid-season, and late-season varieties. The main objectives of these BMPs are to maintain profitability and minimize nitrate leaching. By following these recommendations, the threat of fertilizer regulations can be avoided and a more profitable and better community can be attained.