Özet:

Potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) is one of the most important starch crops grown extensively. In this study, the effects of saline water and proline content on yield and some characteristics of potato were determined. Proline concentrations of 0 mM (control), 10 mM, and 20 mM were applied to potato crop irrigated with water with electrical conductivities of 0.2 dSm-1 (control), 3.5 dSm-1, 7 dSm-1 10 dSm-1 and 13 dSm-1. Different levels of saline irrigation water were obtained by adding NaCl into the tap water with an EC of 0.2 dSm-1. In the saline water treatments, a leaching fraction about 20% was applied.  The study was conducted between January-June 2010 in the pots located in a greenhouse under the Eastern Mediterranean (Hatay, Turkey) conditions. Compared to the control treatment, the amount of irrigation water and crop water use decreased by 4.5%-18.9% and 3.0%-16.0% depending on soil salinity, respectively. Soil salinity caused a decrease in total tuber yield, mean tuber weight, total dry weight, harvest index, and number of potatoes classified as Grade A, whereas it caused an increase in total dry matter content. No distinct effects of proline on tuber yield were observed in the treatments of higher salt stress. The effect of increasing proline concentration was mostly pronounced in the vegetative and gas exchange parameters.

Anahtar Kelimeler: