Yield And Quality Of Potato As Affected By Foliar Spraying Of Boron And Cytokinin

Abstract

Two field experiments were carried out during the summer seasons of 2018 and 2019, at the Experimental Farm of Faculty of Agriculture (Saba- Basha) at Abees area, Alexandria University, Egypt, to study the effect of foliar application of the various levels of both BA as cytokinin and Boron on vegetative growth, yield, and quality of ' Hermes' potato cultivar. Cut seedy explants were, approximately, 40 g in weight and each seedy explant contained 2 eyes planted on the 20th February du ring both seasons. Cutting seeds were planted under a drip irrigation system at 30 cm apart in the row and 0.8 m width in dry soil then irrigated. The experimental plot consisted of two rows with 10.00 m long and 0.80 m width; making an area of 16.00 m2. The experimental design was a split-plot- design in a randomized complete block. The main plots allocated for boron levels (0, 10, 20, and 30 mg l-1). Whereas, the sub-plots were occupied by 6-benzyl adenine levels (0, 10, 20, and 30 mg l-1). The results indicated that foliar application of boron at 30 mg l-1 gave the highest average values of No. of tubers per plant, tuber fresh weight (g plant-1), No. of tubers per 10 kg, total yield per plant (g) as well as total yield; (ton fed-1) compared to control plants during both seasons of the study. On the other side, foliar application of cytokinin at 30 mg l-1 recorded the highest of No. of tubers per plant, tuber fresh weight (g plant-1), No. of tubers per 10 kg, total yield per plant (g) as well as total yield; (ton fed-1 as compared with control treatment and the other treatments, during both seasons. Results of this characteristic revealed that applying boron at 30 mg l-1 increased significantly the potato chips defect (%), tuber firmness, tuber dry weight (%), and specific gravity compared to the control treatment during both seasons. Besides, applying cytokinin at 30 mg l-1, produced higher potato chips defect (%), tuber firmness, tuber dry weight (%), and specific gravity as compared with untreated plants (control), during both seasons. Foliar application of boron at 30 mg l-1 recorded the best results of tubers quality content i.e., average values of starch, tuber sugars, TSS, and ascorbic acid of potato tuber as compared with control treatments, during both seasons, also, potato plants treated with 30 mg l-1 of cytokinin gave the highest mean values of the average values of starch, tuber sugars, TSS and ascorbic acid of potato tuber as compared with control treatments, during both seasons