EFFECT OF ORGANIC SPRAY (PANCHAKAVYA) ON POTATO SEED PRODUCTION

Abstract

Investigations were carried out during Summer 2003 and 2004 at Muthorai on sandy loam soils in RBD with six treatments (P1 : Seed tuber soaking in panchakavya (3%) + spraying panchakavya (3%) at 8 days interval, P2 : Seed tuber soaking in panchakavya (3%) + spraying panchakavya (3%) at 15 days interval, P3 : Only spraying panchakavya (3%) at 8 days interval, P4 : Only spraying panchakavya (3%) at 15 days interval, P5 : Normal cultivation with spraying panchakavya at 15 days interval and P6 : Control (normal cultural practices) and four replications, to study the effect of organic spray on potato seed production. Pooled data of two years suggest that panchakavya spray at 15 days interval could improve the yield of 30-60g sized tubers by 22 per cent over control and the increase was 6.7 per cent when it was sprayed on normal cultivated crop at 15 days interval. From multiple linear regression, it was shown that seed sized tuber number was affected significantly by total chlorophyll at 90 days, plant height at 60 days and dry matter at 60 days after planting. Seed sized tuber yield was influenced by total chlorophyll at 75 days, plant height at 60 and 90 days and dry matter at 60 days after planting. This is because the supply of nutrients and other growth promoting substances seemed to be at an optimal rate and interval when compared with other treatments. Hence, application of panchakavya @ 3% concentration at 15 days interval is useful in improving the seed sized tuber number as well as yield under Nilgiri conditions.