Response of potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) to water stress

It is well known that potato is amongst the very sensitive crop plants to water stress. Shortage of water during the growing season is becoming a limiting factor affecting yield as well as quality of potatoes. Despite the fact that there are investigations on how potatoes respond to water stress, the extent to which tuber yield and qualities that could be affected is not well known especially in relation to the current climate change scenarios. There fore, this work contains relevant information on how water stress affects potato at different physiological growth stages and its consequences on tuber yield and its end product. It also advises potato growers to be on their safest side while growing their plant to avoid/minimize the unnecessary crop losses. Moreover, the methodologies used in this work to quantify quality components of potato tubers are inexpensive and very easy to use it at field condition with no need of sophisticated laboratories. The main recommendations of the work can also be taken as references in the planning and implementation of appropriate crop management strategies for potato especially in water stress prone areas.