Effect of balanced fertilization on growth, yield and economics of potato (Solanum tuberosum L.)

Abstract

A field experiment was conducted during two consecutive rabi and summer seasons of 2021-22 and 2022-23 on loamy sand soil at Agronomy Instructional Farm, Chimanbhai Patel College of Agriculture, Sardarkrushinagar Dantiwada Agricultural University, Sardarkrushinagar, Gujarat to study the effect of Balanced Fertilization on growth, yield and economics of Potato (Solanum tuberosum L.). There were total ten different treatments viz., T1: RDN, T2: RDNP, T3: RDNK, T4: RDPK, T5: RDNPK, T6: RDN + FeSO4 25 kg/ha + ZnSO4 10 kg/ha, T7: RDNP + FeSO4 25 kg/ha + ZnSO4 10 kg/ha, T8: RDNK + FeSO4 25 kg/ha + ZnSO4 10 kg/ha, T9: RDPK + FeSO4 25 kg/ha + ZnSO4 10 kg/ha and T10: RDNPK + FeSO4 25 kg/ha + ZnSO4 10 kg/ha were tested in randomized block design with three replications. Among the different balanced fertilization treatments effect of RDNPK + 25 kg/ha FeSO4 and 10 kg/ha ZnSO4 proved superior with respect to significantly higher plant height, number of stems per hill, crop growth rate, relative growth rate, number of tubers per plant, grade wise tuber yield, total tuber yield (425.02 q/ha), haulm yield (22.76 q/ha) as well as net return (2,92,579/ha). However, all these parameters were stood statistically at par with treatment RDNPK. Whereas, maximum BCR (2.54) was recorded with treatment RDNPK.