Vol. 4, Issue 2, Part B (2022)

The field trial was conducted during both the seasons (2010-11 and 2011-12) on PGI Farm without changing randomization. The experiment was laid out in rabi season. The various components of water expense viz. Consumptive use (Cu), Daily Consumptive Use (DCU), Water Use Efficiency (WUE) were measured at an interval of 28 days. Water flow is measured accurately by refrigual instrument. The highest consumptive use was found the crop with mulching and five irrigations. A positive linear correlation existed between the Consumptive use and the dry matter accumulation in the potato. Proportion of dry matter partitioned to tubers increased with plant weight. The data emphasizes the importance of the use of detailed studies on the relationship between Consumptive use and dry matter production in the analysis of relative efficiencies of the different treatments. The approach has been recognized as a more rational means of growth than the traditional growth analysis techniques. In present studies, this point has been amply illustrated by the differences in the calculated production efficiencies of different treatments. Apart from measured water components growth indices such as no. of functional leaves, no. of branches, dry matter accumulation and final yields, a useful index of crop productivity can be obtained by computing the production efficiencies (CU or DCU) as shown by this study. Analysis of the relationship between production and CU or DCU at the various growth stages for the different treatments shows that 1.2 IW/CPE ratio and early planting with mulching treatment proved to be superior to the other treatments not only in yield but also in conservation natural resources due to its complimentary effect in better use of natural resources like soil moisture. CU or DCU related with amount of dry matter produced by crop, as increasing the number of irrigation and early planting with mulching, as the amount of soil moisture consumed by crop and converted into dry matter.