Agricultural acreage under irrigated production in the humid northeast USA is expanding rapidly. An economic assessment of irrigation systems for potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) production is being undertaken to aide in the system selection process. High efficiency subsurface drip and surface drip systems are being compared with sprinkler, and unirrigated production in a replicated plot study in Maine. This plot study is cropped to a potato and ryegrass (Lolium perenne L.) rotation with four replicates . Two years of annually measured potato yield and size distribution are being used to assess the net return for each system. In both years, the plots with irrigation systems had greater yields than the non-irrigated plots, with the exception of plots located in chronically wet areas. System costs per acre are assessed. The economic efficacy of each system is a function of initial costs, labor and operating costs, yield response, and farm size. The returns are also contingent on the crop produced (high or low valued), how frequently the systems are utilized, cost of water source development, and the variability in water holding capacity across the field. Sprinkler systems show greater scale economies than drip, but have lower water use efficiency. This suggests drip irrigation may be more appropriate for smaller fields, high value crop rotations, and situations where water source development costs are high. Surface drip was problematic for potato production because of frequent cultivations, but drip lines buried below the plow layer were acceptable. In addition to positive yield responses, economic benefits are derived from a lessening in the degree of production risk in years with water deficits. This study will provide a basis for selecting irrigation systems for potato production in the Northeast.
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