A Review: A Framework for Yield Improvement in Kharif/Rainy Season Potato in the Low Land Tropics

Potato is a temperate crop greately adapted to tropical climate as evidenced by the greater share of production by the tropical countries in recent years. It is grown mainly during rainy seasons coupled with long summers in majority of potato growing countries. However, the sub-tropics country like India, kharif (or) rainy season potatoes is still an underexploited segment which is mainly restricted to hills and plateaus, but not plains. Unlike short day crops grown during winter, the yield of kharif potato is far lower. However, the simulation model estimated the attainable yield could be enhanced substantially by extending canopy cover (100%) duration from 10 to and 40 days over the existing window of favourable growing period at various kharif growing areas. Accordingly, the yield could be enhanced from 25.4 to 34.7 t.ha⁻¹ in plateaus (Dharwad), and from 31.9 to 42.0 t.ha⁻¹ in Northern HH (Shimla). The South and Northern HH locations (Ooty and Shimla respectively) registered a higher attainable yield (45.1 and 42.0 t.ha⁻¹, respectively) which strongly indicates the necessity of trait specific improvement program for developing better phenotype combination having high water, radiation and light use efficiency for enhanced yield potential.