Distributions of High and Stable Yield Zones for Potato in the Single-cropping Region in Northern China

Abstract

The planting area and production of potato in the single-cropping region in northern China (SCRN) are in the first place in China, which plays a prominent role for maintaining national food security. It's essential to understand the potato yield potential in SCRN for regional optimized distribution and improvement of potato production. Two indices, i.e., the average and the coefficient of variation of potato yield potential under different production levels, are employed to investigate the potato yield level and yield stability. Based on the meteorological data from 234 weather stations from 1981 to 2019, the soil data and the crop data in the study region, the yield potentials under different production levels (i.e., potential production level, rainfed potential production level, and the climate-soil potential production level, respectively) are simulated using the well-calibrated and validated Agricultural Production Systems sIMulater of Potato (APSIM-Potato). The study area is classified into four types of zones with different yield patterns: High yield level and high yield stability zones, high yield level and low yield stability zones, low yield level and high yield stability zones, and low yield level and low yield stability zones. Based on the zoning indices and the standards, the distributions of four types of yield zones under different production levels are clarified and the effect of precipitation and soil on yield level and yield stability are analyzed. An increasing trend of the station percentage for high yield zones is defined during the period from 1981 to 2019. The proportion of high yield level and high yield stability zones in the study area decreases gradually with the constraints increasing from the potential production level with the radiation and temperature constrained to the climate-soil potential production level with the radiation, temperature, precipitation and soil constrained. Only 13% of the study area over the study period (1981-2019) shows the yield pattern of high yield level and high yield stability zones under the climate-soil potential production level. The high yield level and low yield stability zones are the potential high yield level and high yield stability zones in the future, which need further attention and effective measures to improve the yield stability of potato. Precipitation shows a greater effect on the potato yield level and yield stability than soil in the study region. To ensure the high and stable yield of potato in the study region, more attentions should be paid on the regions with negative effect of precipitation and soil on the yield level and yield stability. Actions should be taken into considering both on the local irrigation levels and the tillage measures.

Keywords

• potato
• high-stable yield zones
• yield potentials