Impact of cutting and chemical treatments to seed potato on crop establishment and yield

Abstract

An experiment was undertaken at Odisha University of Agriculture and Technology, Bhubaneswar, Odisha to study the effect of variety, cutting and chemical treatments to seed potato on sprouting and development as well as consequential productivity of potato. The experiment included three important potato varieties suitable for Odisha (Kufri Jyoti, Kufri Surya and Kufri Ashoka), two types of seed material, that is, whole or cut seed potato, and six chemical treatments to seed potato. In general, seed weight of cut pieces was 29.35% less than that of whole tubers. Overall desiccation of seed tuber was also higher in cut potato as compared to the whole ones ranging from 290.67% in Kufri Ashoka to 439.51% in Kufri Surya. In cut pieces, Boric acid treatment resulted significantly more desiccation than rest of the chemical treatments. The survival of plants at 45 days after planting was the lowest with Boric acid treatment after cold storage. However, Boric acid treatment before cold storage to whole / cut tubers (cut after removal of treated tubers from cold store) resulted highest tuber yield in all the varieties. After cold storage, Mancozeb treatment to potato tubers resulted higher survival of plants and better yield than boric acid treatment. The variation in yield due to variety, type of seed tuber (whole /cut), chemical treatment and their interaction was found significant.