Effect of rate and timing of potassium chloride application on the yield and quality of potato (Solanum tuberosum L. 'Russet Burbank')

Abstract

Mohr, R. M. and Tomasiewicz, D. J. 2012. Effect of rate and timing of potassium chloride application on the yield and quality of potato ( Solanum tuberosum L. ‘Russet Burbank’). Can. J. Plant Sci. 92: 783-794. Potassium is frequently applied to irrigated potato in Manitoba. Field experiments were conducted at two sites in each of 2006, 2007 and 2008 to assess effects of rate and timing of potassium chloride (KCl) application on the yield, quality, and nutrient status of irrigated potato (Solanum tuberosum ‘Russet Burbank’) in southern Manitoba. Preplant application of KCl increased total and marketable yield at one site, and tended (0.05<P = 0.10) to increase total and marketable yield at three additional sites. At three of the four K-responsive sites, soil test K levels were <200 mg NH4OAc-extractable K kg-1, the level below which K fertilizer is recommended based on existing guidelines. Effects of timing of KCl application on total and marketable yield were limited although, averaged across sites, KCl a...