Study: Decreasing potato row spacing may increase yield

In a study published in the American Journal of Potato Research, researchers showed significant potato yield increases by decreasing row spacing to 32 inches, relative to the 34-inch industry standard.

According to the study, 32-inch row spacing could improve economic returns by up to $379 per acre. Decreasing row spacing to 32 inches while maintaining a typical 10-inch spacing between plants results in 19,611 plants per acre, a 6.25 percent increase relative to the 34-inch standard row spacing that generates 18,457 plants per acre.

The authors cite a prior study showed that decreasing spacing between plants in a row to generate the same plant density as a 32-inch row spacing, while maintaining a 34-inch row resulted in “…less favorable tuber profile and relative economic loss.” The authors discussed the importance of soil moisture and nutrient depletion accompanying higher planting densities concomitant with decreasing row spacing.

The study was conducted by M. J. Pavek, Z. J. Holden, R. R. Spear and B. J. Weddell.

For questions or discussion contact Mark Pavek at mjpavek@wsu.edu or 509-335-6861.