Agroecological Intensification of Potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) Cultivation for Sustainable and Increased Productivity in Torbat-e Heydariyeh Region, Iran

The first step to achieving ecological sustainability and intensification in agricultural systems is to have a comprehensive agroecological analysis of agricultural systems. This research analyzed the agroecological ecosystem of potato cultivation in the Torbat-e Heydariyeh Region of Iran over fifteen years (2001-2016). Based on the results, potato yield increased by 0.28 t ha-1 yr-1. The average potential yield of potato was calculated by the FAO method to be 64 t.ha-1. Also, the potential yield did not increase significantly during the study period. The average yield gap of potato was calculated to be 32.44 t ha-1. Also, with increasing yield, the yield gap showed a decreasing trend. The ecosystems experienced a steady rise in intensification, and the stability decreased. It was observed that although nitrogen fertilizer application was increased, its efficiency dropped from 110 kg tuber per kg of nitrogen fertilizer to 70 kg. Due to the decreasing trend of NUpE (Nitrogen uptake efficiency) and NUE (Nitrogen use efficiency) during the studied years, the NUE gap was the main factor in increasing nitrogen consumption, increasing intensification, and reducing stability in the studied systems. Therefore, changing the management method to increase the efficiency of nitrogen consumption can be suggested as the first step for moving towards ecological intensification and improving the sustainability of potato production systems.