POTASSIUM AND MULCH EFFECTS ON GROWTH, YIELD, QUALITY AND STORAGE PERFORMANCE OF POTATO

Abstract

A field experiment was conducted at the Agronomy research field of Sher-e-Bangla Agricultural University. Dhaka. during the period from November 2013 to Jul' 2014, to study the potassium and mulch effects on growth. yield, quality and storage perlbrmance of potato. The experiment comprised as two thetors: Factor A: potassium: 4 levels: K1 - No Mop. K, - 200 kg MoP ha* K1 - 250 kg MoP ha". K 4 - 300 kg MoP ha'' and Factor B: different mulches: M, - soil mulch. M - rice straw. M 3 - vater hyacinth and M4 - saw dust. 'ftc experiment was laid out in a split-plot design with three replications. The result revealed that potassiim and/or mulch materials had significant effects on most of the growth. yield and quality parameters studied in this experiment. Results revealed that. tuber yield, dry matter content. specific gravity and total soluble solids. gradually increased with increasing up to application of 250 kg MoP ha" and thereafter decreased with increasing potassium level. Among the different niulch materials, rice straw exhibited better perfonnance in respect oL'vield. dry matter content. specific gravity', total soluble solids in tuber compared to those of other mulches. Among the sixteen treatment combinations. the application of 250 kg MoP ha 1 along with rice straw mulch produced maximum tuber yield (28.89 t ha''). highest dry matter content (24.33 %). maximum specific gravity (1.13 g em') and optimum total soluble solids (4.20 % brix). This combination also demonstrated better performance in ambient storage condition. [he max imuni cosi benent ratio (2.61 ) were 101111(1 when application ol' 250 kg MoP ha' s"itli rice straw mulch. Although the combination of K3M2 showed better grovth. yield, quality performance but K 1M3 also demonstrated statistically similar results. So. rice straw mulch or water hyacinth are suitable for prodticing good quality potato along with applying 250 kg Mo? ha".