Plant Spacing and Nitrogen Fertilizer Effect on Potato (Solanum Tuberosum) Growth, Yield and Quality: Review

Abstract

Potato is regarded as ahigh-potential food-security crop because of its ability to provide a high yield of high-quality product per unit input with a shorter crop cycle (mostly < 120 days) than major cereal crops. Potato demands high level of soil nutrients due to relative poorly developed and shallow root system in relation to yield. Factors that limit crop yield (both in quantity and quality) can be categorized into four major headings such as soil, genetic, climatic and management practices. Intra-row spacing had great influence on economically important characteristics such as total yield, processing grade yield, tuber size distribution and tuber quality. As plant density increases, there is a marked decrease in plant size and yield plant-1. This effect is due to increased inter-plant competition for water, light and nutrients. Proper N fertilization is critical for optimizing potato yield and quality. application of N exerted significant influence on all the growth parameters that is showing positive increment. Nitrogen supply plays a paramount part in the balance between vegetative and its reproductive for potato. nitrogen fertilization influences the potato tuber yield and quality. Low nitrogen usually causes low dry matter and sugar levels, while excessive nitrogen promotes vine growth and delays tuber initiation. Nitrogen management is critical for building leaf area to harvest sunlight for photosynthesis to maximize yield. Therefore, effective management of nutrients and proper use of plant spacing is critical for potato production, as tuber yield and quality.