Fertigation and Conventional Potassium Application to Field Grown Potato in Lebanon: Perspective to Enhance Efficiency

In Lebanon, potato occupies a surface of 14,800 ha corresponding to 17 % of the irrigated land. The Bekaa valley is the largest production area in the country, with more than 67 % of total potato production located on prime land. This crop is generally fertilized by soil application and irrigated by sprinklers with rare implementation of drip systems. Spring and summer potatoes depend entirely on irrigation, with an average yield of 20-25 t/ha of fresh tubers. In general, potato is cropped within a rotation consisting of wheat-potato-vegetable or legume rotation. For adequate growth, potato requires large amounts of potassium and nitrogen. In clay soils rich in active minerals, K is subject to fixation, which requires improved application methods to reduce K loss. Instead of traditional broadcasting, increasing fertilizer use efficiency is achieved through improved application with side banding method or fertigation with soluble forms of fertilizers. Literature from the region indicated no response to added K fertilizers on clay soils containing 200 mg K/kg soil. This study aims at reviewing the results of research works conducted i