The aim of our research was to analyse the effect of the variety, tuber sprouting and covering of the crop with low tunnels made by a polypropylene (PP) on a growth, development, yield and biochemical quality of the early potato (Solanum tuberosum L.). The field experiment took place on a family farm in village Petelinje (46° 05′ 41″ N, 14° 40′ 10″ E) near Dol pri Ljubljani, on altitude of 268 metres. The potato was planted on March 16, 2017 and harvested 78 days later. In the experiment, three varieties of early potato were included ('Adora', 'Arrow' and 'Esme'). Half of the tubers was sprouted in the light at the temperature of 18 to 20 °C. The experiment was design as random segments on the field. Each of the segments was divided into half, so part was covered by PP overlay and the rest was uncovered. Inside each repetition, sprouted and unsprouted potato tubers were randomly planted. The tubers of a size 28 to 35 millimetres were planted mechanically in a range of 35cm within the rows and 70 cm between the rows. The plants were grown by good agricultural practices. The sprouting and covering of the crop accelerated the emerge of the potato for 1.9 to 4.1 days. The covering had positive effect on the number (0.7 to 1 sprout) and on the height of the stem sprouts (5 to 6 cm). In total, all of the varieties, if covered, had a larger number of tubers as uncovered (151200 to 261300 tubers/ha comparing to 102200 to 198800 tubers/ha, respectively). Similarly, for all varieties, plants from sprouted tubers had a larger number of tubers as unsprouted. The covered plants with the exception of the Arrow had a larger total yield (15 to 20 t/ha) compared to uncovered plants (9,3 to 15 t/ha). The sprouting and coating had no significant effect on dry matter and C-vitamin content.
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