Tuber yield and quality responses of potato to moderate temperature increase during Tuber bulking under two water availability scenarios

Potato is one of the most important food crops worldwide, having excellent performance in temperate regions, with cool nights and adequate water supply. In southern Chile, an increase in air temperature between 1- 5 degrees C and a decrease in rainfall by 30-40 % are expected due to climate change. The objective of present study was to evaluate the effect of moderate high temperatures (+ 3.1 to + 6.9 degrees C) during tuber bulking on yield and quality properties of Chilean native and commercial genotypes of potato, under different water availability scenarios. Experiments were carried out under field conditions during two growing seasons. Four treatments were applied: (i) T0H0, at ambient temperature under rainfed conditions; (ii) T1H0, at high temperature under rainfed conditions; (iii) T0H1, at ambient temperature under irrigation conditions; (iv) T1H1, at high temperature under irrigation conditions. Increasing temperature for 40 days during tuber bulking did not induce changes in tuber yield and starch content for the same water scenarios. However, it is suggestes that high temperature could reduce potential yield of potato crop (i.e. under irrigation), braking to the yield gain. The main factor affecting tuber yield, in current and future thermal scenarios of southern Chile was water availability as a consequence of reduction in leaf area duration and intercepted radiation during tuber bulking. Effects on healthy tuber properties as protein content, total phenols and antioxidant activity were dependent on the interaction between the environmental factors evaluated and genotypes.