Effect of organic and inorganic sources of nutrients on productivity,specific gravity and processing quality of potato (Solanum tuberosum)

Abstract

Field experiment was conducted with potato (Solanum tuberosum) during winter (rabi) seasons of 2005–06 and 2006–07 to study the effect of different organic and inorganic sources of nutrients on productivity, specific gravity and processing quality of potato cultivars. The experiment comprised three varieties, viz Kufri Chipsona 1 (V1), Kufri Chipsona 2 (V2), Kufri Jyoti (V3) and four nutrient sources viz. FYM @ 35 tonnes/ha (N1), FYM @ 30 tonnes/ha + bio-fertilizers (N2), FYM @ 25 tonnes/ha + mustard cake @ 1.0 tonne (N3), recommended dose of NPK (180:150:150 kg/ha N, P2O5, K2O respectively) (N4). Kufri Chipsona 1 recorded maximum dry weight of tuber, total number of tubers/ha, total tuber yield (28.18 and 28.39 tonnes/ha) and NPK uptake. Kufri Chipsona 2 attained maximum plant height, number of small tubers (‹25g). Kufri Chipsona 1 produced about 19.10, 18.44% more yield than Kufri Chipsona 2 and 6.22, 6.21% more yield than Kufri Jyoti in the successive two years. Chipsona varieties produced high dry matter, starch, specific gravity, acceptable chip colour content and low reducing sugar. Kufri Jyoti produced maximum germination percentage, vitamin C and reducing sugar content. Recommended dose of NPK (N4) showed the best performance in terms of growth and yield parameters as compared to organic sources of nutrients. FYM @ 30 tonnes/ha along with biofertilizers (N2) recorded maximum soil fertility build-up after harvest of the crop and also helped to achieve required processing qualities of potato tuber. It was concluded that Chipsona varieties were suitable processing cultivars as they met all the necessary requirements and as well as integrated nutrient management using both manures and fertilizers gave high level of guarantee with improved quality potato production.