Possibilities of enhancing potato production in non-traditional areas

Potato cultivation is limited to relatively cooler areas and seasons throughout the world due to photo and thermo-sensitivity of the crop. Attempts to take potato to warmer areas have resulted in drastic reduction in tuber yield or even failure of tuberization. The mean night temperature in large parts of peninsular India are between 18 _ 20° C and climate change is likely to lead to an overall temperature increase of 1_1.5° C, therefore, heat tolerant varieties which can tuberize and bulk well up to 20° C night temperature are needed for these areas. CPRI has developed a heat tolerant variety Kufri Surya. In the present study, potential areas for the deployment of this variety were identified by weather simulation studies. Sixteen locations in non-traditional potato growing areas of peninsular India were selected and an estimate of the available number of days in a year suitable for potato crop at different night temperature scenarios, viz. 18, 20 and 22°C were simulated. The results showed that heat tolerant varieties having 2_4°C advantage for tuberization were suitable for more number of locations and could grow for a longer duration as compared to existing high yielding varieties.