Abstract: We analyzed the effects of applying a water absorbent on the growth and yield of potato (Solanum tuberosum cv. Xiabodi). Four treatments were considered, including hole pattern, seed coating, seed dressing with water absorbent, and no water absorbent as the control. The results showed that the emergence rate and seedling rate of potato plants were increased by applying the water absorbent. The emergence rate and seedling rate when the water absorbent was added to the hole were 22% and 4% higher than those in the control, respectively. Plant height and plant width increased as the potato plants grew. The plants grown with water absorbent added to the hole was 44% higher than that of the control during the starch accumulation period. The highest chlorophyll content and photosynthetic rate were found for  plants grown with water absorbent added to the hole. The proline content of plant tissues increased as plants grew, and was lower in control plants than in that grown with water absorbent added to the hole; the proline content in plants in the other treatments was lower than that in the control. The soluble sugar content first increased and then decreased as sugars were transported into the tubers. The plant fresh weight and dry weight showed similar increasing trends; they increased rapidly after the tuber initiation stage in all treatments. At the starch accumulation stage, the fresh and dry weights were higher in the plants grown with water absorbent than in the control plants. The highest yields were from plants with water absorbent added to the hole (57% higher yield than that of the control), followed by plants grown from seeds coated with the water absorbent. These results showed that addition of water absorbent resulted in higher yields of potato cultivated in the dry environment.

Key words: Physocarpus amurensis, P opulifolius, chlorophyll fluorescence, soil drought, photosynthesis capacity