EFFECT OF POTASSIUM SOURCES AND VERMICOMPOST LEVEL ON YIELD AND PROCESSING QUALITY OF POTATO

Abstract

The experiment was conducted in the experimental field of Sher-e-Bangla Agricultural University, Sher-e-Bangla Nagar, Dhaka from the period of November, 2018 to February, 2019 to assess the effect of potassium sources and vermicompost level on yield and processing quality of potato. The potato variety BARI Alu-25 (Asterix) was used as test crop for this experiment. The experiment consisted of two factors: Factor A: Potassium sources (3 sources) as- K 1 : KCl, K 2 iii : KNO 3 , K 3 : K 2 SO 4 ; Factor B: Levels of vermicompost (4 levels) as - Vm 0 : 0 ton vermicompost ha : 4 ton vermicompost ha -1 , Vm 2 : 8 ton vermicompost ha -1 and Vm 3 -1 , Vm 1 : 12 ton vermicompost ha . The two factor experiment was laid out in a split-plot design with three replications. Most of the recorded data on different yield attributes, yield and quality of potato showed significant variations for different sources of potassium and levels of vermicompost; and their combined effects were also significant. Highest yield of potato tubers (27.86 t ha -1 ), dry matter content (19.83%), specific gravity (1.090) and starch (14.81%) was recorded from K 2 SO 4 , whereas, the lowest was found from KNO 3 . Number of tubers hill -1 , average tuber weight, yield, different categories of potato tuber, firmness, dry matter content, specific gravity, starch and vitamin-C content increased with increasing the vermicompost level. A negative relation was observed between TSS and sugar content. In respect of the combined effect, the highest yield of potato tubers (31.17 t ha -1 ), dry matter content (21.12%), specific gravity (1.103) and starch (16.34%) was found from K 3 Vm 3 , whereas, the lowest was recorded from K 2 . However, K 1 Vm 2 , K 1 Vm 3 , K 3 Vm 2 and K 3 Vm 3 showed statistically similar results in yield and quality attributes. So,K 2 SO 4 or KCl as a source of potassium and 8 or 12 ton vermicompost ha -1 showed excellent performance. But availability of potassium sources and economic point of view, KCl combined with 8 ton of vermicompost ha could be used for the production of quality potato in Bangladesh.