202 Potato J 39 (2): July - December, 2012 Potato J (2012) 39 (2): 202-204 SHORT NOTE Potato ranks fourth in production, after wheat, rice and maize in the world. India is the second largest producer of potato after China (Scott and Suarez, 2011; 2012). The country used latest scientific breakthroughs and technologies in order to achieve this position in potato production. Now a days, drip irrigation is under evaluation to improve water use efficiency. High frequency water management by drip irrigation minimizes soil as a storage reservoir for water, provides at least daily requirement of water to a portion of the root zone of each plant and maintains a high soil matric potential in the rhizosphere to reduce plant water stress. Field experiment was conducted at Vegetable Research Centre of GB Pant University of Agriculture and Technology, Pantnagar, Uttarakhand (longitude 79° 30’ E, latitude 29° N and altitude 243.84 msl) during rabi season of 2010-11 on variety Kufri Jyoti. The soil of the experimental field was sandy loam having neutral pH (6.6), low available nitrogen and phosphorous and medium available potassium contents. The experiment was conducted in randomized block design with three replications and seven treatments i.e., 100% OPE (Open Pan Evaporation) daily (I 1 ), 80% OPE daily (I 2 ), 60% OPE daily (I 3 ), 100% OPE at alternate day (I 4 ), 80% OPE at alternate day (I 5 ) 60% OPE at alternate day (I 6 ) and control (I 7 ) i.e., furrow irrigation given up to 5 cm depth at an interval of 15 days. A mixture of fertilizer containing 80 kg nitrogen (half of total recommended dose), 100 kg phosphorus and 120 kg potassium per hectare (N, P 2 O 5 and K 2 O @ 160 : 100: 120 kg/ ha) along with FYM @ 20 t/ha were mixed in the soil of the experimental plot three days before the planting of tubers. The crop was harvested after 90 days of planting. The laterals having emitters spaced 20 cm were laid along the ridges of the each row. Irrigation scheduling for drip system was done on the basis of previous day readings of open pan evaporation as per the treatment. Water used in drip system was calculated on the basis of number of emitters operating in the laterals, average discharge of each emitter, time of run of laterals and number of lines operating in that particular treatment. In furrow method (control), quantity of water used was measured through a 90° V notch and maintaining a constant head of 10 cm each time for 3 irrigations applied during the entire crop period. Crop response to drip irrigation was determined in terms of biometric parameters like emergence per cent at 30 days after planting (DAP), plant height, number of stems, number of leaves/hill at 45 DAP, graded EFFECT OF DIFFERENT IRRIGATION SCHEDULES ON THE GROWTH AND YIELD OF DRIP IRRIGATED POTATO Priyanka Bisht 1 , Manoj Raghav 1 and VK Singh 1 KEYWORDS: Drip irrigation, potato, Uttrakhand, India 1 GB Pant University of Agriculture and Technology, Pantnagar-263 145,Uttarakhand, India. E-mail: raghav1963@yahoo.co.in