Effects of Blended NPS Fertilizer Rates on Yield and Yield Components of Potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) Varieties at Dessie Zuria District, Ethiopia

Molla Mekashaw

doi:10.7176/jbah/10-13-01

Abstract

In Ethiopia, the average yield of potato is far below the potential due to different problems like in appropriate agronomic practices. Hence, this research was done to evaluate the effects of NPS fertilizer rates on yield and yield components of potato. The study was conducted at Dessie Zuria district, Ethiopia during dry season of 2015. A factorial combination of six level of NPS fertilizer (0:0:0, 111:89.7:0, 111:89.7:16.52, 55:89.7:16.52, 111:44.85:8.26 and 55:44.85, 8.26) kg ha-1 and two potato varieties were plotted in Randomized Complete Block Design with three replications. The highest plant height of potato (87.60 cm) was recorded on 111: 89.7:16.52 kg ha-1 of NPS fertilizer rate. Belete variety supplied with 111: 89.7:16.52 kg ha-1 of NPS fertilizer rate recorded the maximum days (124.3) to maturity of potato. Similarly, Belete variety recorded the higher biomass than local variety. The 111:89.7:16.52 kg ha-1 and 55.5:89.7:16.52 kg ha-1 of NPS fertilizer rates showed the highest aboveground biomass (103.24 g hill-1) and underground biomass of potato (290.9 g hill-1) respectively. The highest average tuber number per hill (15.67), tuber weight per hill (1.82 kg), marketable (53.61 t ha-1), unmarketable (0.542 t ha-1) and total (54.15t ha-1) tuber yield were recorded on potato which was applied with 55.5: 89.7:16.52 kg ha-1 of NPS fertilizer rate. In all characteristics of growth and yield of potato, Belete variety was better than local variety. Similarly, potato fertilized with 55.5: 89.7:16.52 kg ha-1of NPS fertilizer rate was showed highest yield than other rates. Keywords: Potato; fertilizer rates; variety; marketable yield; tuber yieldDOI: 10.7176/JBAH/10-13-01Publication date:July 31st 2020

Highlights

Potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) belongs to the family Solanaceae and genus Solanum (Thompson and Kelly, 1972)
Plant height and Stem number per hill The potato plant height was significantly affected by NPS fertilizer rates which correlate with the finding of Alemayehu and Jemberie, 2018.The increased potato plant height by application of NPS may be attributed by physiological stem elongation effect of nitrogen which is observed by other authors (Lamessa and Zewdu, 2016; Sriom, 2017)
The maximum days (124.3) to maturity of potato was recorded on Belete variety supplied with 111:89.7:16.52 kg ha-1 of NPS fertilizer while the shortest days (111) was recorded on Belete variety in the nil fertilizer application

Summary

Introduction

Potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) belongs to the family Solanaceae and genus Solanum (Thompson and Kelly, 1972). It is the major world food crops in its ability to produce high volume food per unit area and time (Israel et al, 2012) .With the annual production of the world and Africa in the year of 2017 was about 388, 190, 674 and 25,011,823 tons respectively (FAOSTAT, 2019). In Ethiopia, potato is one among the most economically important crops as a source of food and cash in the country (Adane, 2010). The current area cropped with potato (about 160,000 ha) is small and the average yield (less than 10 tons ha-1) which is far below the potential of the crop (Adane, 2010). Inappropriate agronomic practices, shortage of seed tubers of improved potato varieties, soil nutrient depletion, moisture stresses, diseases and insect pests are the major constraints of potato production in the country (Tekalign and Hammes, 2005, Kefelegn et al 2012)

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