EFFECT OF PLANT DENSITY AND IRRIGATION UPON YIELD AND SELECTED TECHNOLOGICAL FEATURES OF SOME CELERIAC (Apium graveolens L. var. rapaceum) CULTIVARS

Abstract

During the studies conducted in the years 2004–2005, in the Experimental Farm „Felin” of the University of Life Sciences in Lublin we assessed the effect of irrigation and plant density upon the yield and selected technological features (mean weight of root and the occurrence of empty spaces) in a few currently grown celeriac cultivars. A significant influence of the examined factors upon the quantity and quality of celeriac yield was demonstrated. On average, for the study years, the yield of non-watered plants ranged from 34.7 to 48.8 t ha^–1 and the yield of watered plants – from 47.1 to 66.3 t ha^–1. The increased plant density from 37.0 thousand pcs. to 55.6 thousand pcs. ha^-1 enabled us to obtain greater yield of non-watered plants by 15.6%, and of watered plants – by 21.5%. The examined factors affected the mean weight of root in the assessed celeriac cultivar, the sizes of empty spaces occurring in them, as well as the participation of roots with empty spaces in the marketable yield.