Regional variation of yield and fertilizer use efficiency of potato in China

Objectives Large datasets were collected from field experiments on potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) to evaluate attainable yield, yield response, relative yield, and nutrient use efficiency parameters to N, P₂O₅ and K₂O fertilizers added in different potato production regions of China. It aimed to provide a basis for potato nutrient management strategies.

Methods The datasets were collected from 117 field experiments conducted by the International Plant Nutrition Institute (IPNI), China Program during 1992–2012 and 407 related journal papers from the China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI) database with the key words “potato”, “potato yield” and “potato efficiency” during 2000–2016 in different potato production regions of China. Potato production in China was divided into six geographic regions, i.e., Northeast (NE), Northwest (NW), Northcentral (NC), Middle and Lower Reaches of Yangtze River (MLYR), Southeast (SE), and Southwest (SW). The treatments consisted of an optimal treatment (OPT) and the treatments with omission of N, P₂O₅ or K₂O (OPT-N, OPT-P, OPT-K). Attainable potato yields, yield responses (YRs), relative yields (RYs), agronomic efficiencies (AEs), partial factor productivities (PFPs), and recovery efficiencies (REs) were analyzed and discussed.

Results The average YRs of N, P₂O₅ and K₂O fertilizers were 8.6, 5.9 and 6.6 t/hm², showing N was the most limited nutrient for potato yield in China. Among different regions, the average attainable yield and YR of N ranked first in NE region (P < 0.05). The average RYs of N, P₂O₅ and K₂O were 71.0%, 79.4% and 77.2% respectively; the average RYs of N in NC, those of P₂O₅ in SE, those of K₂O in NW were the highest across different regions. The N, P₂O₅ or K₂O rates averaged by 164, 100 and 188 kg/hm² across different regions, and the average N and K₂O rates in SE region were shown to be the highest (P < 0.05), the average N and K₂O rates in NE region were lower, the P₂O₅ rates in NE, SW and NW were higher across different regions with the lowest P₂O₅ rates in MLYR. The average AEs of N, P₂O₅ and K₂O were 52.5, 58.5 and 42.3 kg/kg respectively, and AEs of N or K₂O in NE were the highest (P < 0.05). The averaged PFPs of N, P₂O₅ and K₂O were 205, 339 and 209 kg/kg respectively, and those of N or K₂O in NE was the highest (P < 0.05). The REs of N, P₂O₅ or K₂O averaged by 36.4%, 18.5% and 27.6%, and REs of P₂O₅ in SE were observed to be with the highest values (P < 0.05).

Conclusions  There are great differences in tuber yields, fertilizer application rates, and fertilizer use efficiencies across different potato production areas in China. N is the most yield-limiting factor for potato in China, while NC, SE and NW showed high soil indigenous nutrient supply of N, P and K, respectively. The optimal fertilization management of potato should be directed according to local conditions in different potato production areas.