Potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) Production under Phosphate-mining Wastewater in Jordan

This study is concerned with potato performance under phosphate mining waste water as an alternative sustainable source of water. It was conducted in Al-Quwayrah area south of Jordan. Class (A) tubers of (Spunta and Mondial) potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) cultivars were planted under drip irrigation system. Water from phosphate mining activities, hybrid water (consisting of 50% fresh and 50% mine wastewater) and fresh groundwater were tested. Water, soil and tuber samples were evaluated for each plot and analyzed for heavy metal (Ni+2, Zn+2 and Pb+2) in addition to major ionic composition of the water used for irrigation. Potato vegetative growth, tuber specific gravity and yields were estimated at the end of the experiment. The fresh groundwater showed the lowest vegetative dry matter content (15.1%) compared to those of the mining water (16.9%) which was significantly similar to those (16.3%) of the hybrid water. Phosphate mining water showed yield reduction of 11.9 and 16.3% of those of the hybrid and the fresh water, respectively. Generally, Ni, Zn and Pb concentrations in the potato tubers were varied among treatments of water types used, with tendency of higher concentrations in the tubers of mining water. Soil site contents of Ni and Zn at the end of the study, were significantly increased due to mining and hybrid water, while Pb contents were not affected by water types used. According to results obtained, phosphate mining waste water can be used in potato fields and can be part of crop irrigation regimes.