Effect of organic fertilizer and application of charcoal on quality of potato tuber variety atlantic

Abstract

The widely cultivated tuber in Indonesia is Granola. The Granola tuber is appropriate for table potato and not for processing one. The cultivation of potato cultivar Atlantic for processed potato should be increased. This research aimed to examine the quality of potato cultivar Atlantic with organic farming and compare their properties with a conventional system. Potato tuber cultivar Atlantic was cultivated with conventional and organic fertilizer. Fertilization was performed following the practices of the local farmers. Three types of charcoal produced from wood, husk, and coconut shell were applied at three different concentrations. The cultivation was conducted in the greenhouse located in the area of potato cultivation, at 1,300 m above sea level. Selected quality parameters of potato tuber regarding the processing and nutritional properties were determined: weight of yield, moisture and ash content and brightness of flour that produced from the tubers. The present study shows that organic fertilizer and charcoal application could contribute to the quality of potato tuber cultivar Atlantic. However, application of organic fertilizer and charcoal during cultivation does not increase significantly of tubers ‘properties. Further research for cultivation in the field is required to confirm this result.