EFFECT OF MULCHING AND FERTILIZER MANAGEMENT PRACTICES ON THE GROWTH AND YIELD OF POTATO (Solanum tuberosum L)

Abstract

A field experiment was conducted at the Horticulture Farm of Sher­ e-Bangla Agricultural University, Dhaka during the period from November 2006 to February 2007 to investigate the effect of mulching and fertilizer management practices on the growth and yield of potato. The experiment was conducted with three mulching treatments; No mulch (MJ), Black polythene mulch (M1) and Water hyacinth (M2) and three fertilizer management practices; organic fertilizer ( cowdung) (F inorganic fertilizer (F2) and organic (cowdung) + inorganic (F3). The experiment was laid out in RCBD with nine treatments combinations and three replications. The maximum plant height (77.09cm), number of main stem (4.09), number of tubers per hill (6.88), weight of tubers per hill (366.33g), extra large tuber (>55mm) both by number and weight high were recorded when M1 treatment applied. On the other hand, maximum numbers of main stem (3.96), dry weight of haulm per hill ( l l. l 6g), number of tuber per hill (6.11) weight of tuber per hill (333.05g), mean tuber weight (54.22g) was found when F3 treatment applied. The highest yield of tuber (19.30 t/ha) was obtained from the plants grown with M1 treatment and the lowest (13.43 t/ha) from the Mo treatment. The fertilizer treatment F3 gave the highest yield (19.22 t/ha) while the minimum (13.54 t/ha) was obtained from F2 treatment. The combination black polythene mulch with organic (cowdung) + inorganic fertilizer gave maximum yield (22.29 t/ha). On the basis of cost benefit analysis the highest benefit cost ratio was obtained from M1F3 treatment combination.