Salt tolerance of four potato cultivars

Tests are needed to evaluate the salt tolerance of new and untested potato cultivars under various cultural conditions. Two lysimeter experiments were conducted in two seasons to investigate the influence of irrigation water salinity on tuber yields of four potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) cultivars (Spunta, Alpha, Cara, and King Edward). Four salinity levels [ECw 0.53 (control), 3.13, 6.25, and 9.38 dS m(-1)] established by adding NaCl to fresh water, were used. Increasing irrigation water salinity reduced significantly total and average tuber yield for all cultivars in both seasons. Cara cultivar produced the highest tuber yield of all cultivars in both seasons. The salt tolerance curves of the potato cultivars in both seasons revealed that tolerant rating of the four cultivars can be assigned as follows: Cara > Alpha > Spunta > King Edward. The polynomial cubic equations developed for the four potato cultivars in fall and summer seasons were successful in predicting potato tuber yields response to irrigation water salinity.