Abstract: To investigate and compare the effects of blood meal and chicken manure with chemical fertilizers on growing traits, total yield, and water use efficiency under deficit irrigation conditions, this research was conducted as a factorial experiment based on randomized complete block design at the Hamedan Agricultural and Natural Resources Research and Education Center (Ekbatan Agricultural Research Station). In this study, two potato cultivars, Bamba and Sante, were considered as the first factor at two levels. The irrigation water amount was examined at three levels (100, 75, and 50 percent of Cumulative Evapotranspiration from Class A Evaporation Pan). Additionally, fertilizer treatments at three levels; chemical fertilizer, poultry manure, and blood powder were considered as the other two factors. The characteristics of the growing stage including time to 50% germination, date of full emergence, date of full covering time, growing indices (chlorophyll content, stem length, number and length of stolons, leaf area, fresh and dry weight of roots and stems) were measured. At harvesting time, total yield and tuber dry matter percentage was determined and water use efficiency was estimated. Comparison of the experimental treatment means revealed that irrigation levels and the type of fertilizer treatment had a significant effect on all growth traits as well as the total tuber yield. Significant differences were observed in the use of potato cultivars for most growth traits (except for leaf area index and chlorophyll content) and also the total tuber yield. By comparing the mean interaction effects of the cultivar and fertilizer treatments, it was found that the responses of the two potato cultivars, Sante and Bamba, to the effects of fertilizer type were similar for all growth traits as well as total tuber yield. However, the effect of fertilizer treatments under different irrigation levels was not consistent across all growth traits, yield, and water use efficiency. Specifically, poultry manure and blood meal had a greater impact on improving growth traits and total yield under deficit irrigation conditions compared to normal irrigation, although their effectiveness differed when compared with each other. Totally, the effects of chicken manure and blood powder on improving growth traits as well as total yield were more significant, especially in both deficit irrigation treatments. Under moderate and severe stress conditions, the application of chicken manure and blood powder increased the total yield by about 10.87 and 11.74 percent, respectively, compared to not using them. |