Evaluate Different N Fertilizers to Improve Nitrogen Use Efficiency, Yield, and Quality of Potato Cultivation Under Rainfed and Irrigated Fields.

The potato industry has a significant impact on Maine’s economy ($540 million impacts annually), personal income (more than $233 million), State and local taxes ($32 million), and workforce development (6100 jobs). Despite stable yield during the last 20 years, grower’s profit has declined. In Maine, ammonium sulfate (AS) is a common N fertilizer in potatoes which is 100% ammonium but creates three times more soil acidity compared to any other N source result in more lime application which in turns decreases farmer’s profit. Some farmers’ uses mixed N fertilizer to reduce AS’s acidic effect on soil, but it might lead to a change in N uptake behavior of potatoes. The objective of this study is to evaluate different N sources for their impact on productivity, quality, and chemical composition of potato while applying with or without nitrification inhibitor insole or combined applications under dry and irrigated area. Active optical sensors were used for this study. Potential outcomes will be the development of new guidelines to use N sources other than AS. Optical sensors will be able to predict N response under different moisture conditions and N sources. There is a potential to improve farmers profit with the outcome of this study.