Study the effects of nutrient levels on potato crop growth, yield and economics
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Date
2023
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Publisher
RPCAU, Pusa
Abstract
Potato is succulent dicotyledonous herbaceous and member of the Solanaceae family; originated in the Andes Mountain range of South America and introduced to India in the late 16th century. Due to its availability and adaptability to local diets, the demand for this crop has increased significantly, leading an expansion of cultivation area, particularly in the North Indian plain region. Potatoes are grown as an annual winter crop, primarily in Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, and Bihar. The significance of potatoes as a food security crop has been acknowledged by the FAO, with high yield potential and rich nutrient content.
Intending to achieve sustainable practices in potato cultivation, site-specific nutrient management (SSNM) has emerged as environmentally friendly and economically feasible alternative to conventional nutrient management strategies. SSNM involves customizing nutrient applications to meet the specific requirements of the crop based on field and season specifications. The implementation of SSNM can improve nutrient use efficiency, crop productivity, and profitability.
A field trail was conducted to study the impact of different nutrient levels on potato crop growth and yield where various parameters were analysed, including plant emergence, plant height (cm), number of shoots, leaves and tubers per plant, dry matter accumulation, bulking rate, tuber yield, haulm yield, marketable yield, harvest index, nutrient uptake, and soil nutrient availability. The results indicated that treatment T3, which received 150% of the recommended dose of NPK, showed superior performance in terms of plant emergence, plant height, number of shoots and leaves, dry matter production, bulking rate, number of tubers, tuber yield, haulm yield, and marketable yield followed by treatment getting 125% of RDF (T2) which is relatable to the treatment getting 100% Recommended dose of NPK produces 22.48 t ha-1 of total tuber yield.
The nutrient management approach of SSNM proved beneficial, resulting in higher agronomic efficiency and partial factor productivity compared to conventional fertilization practices. Treatment getting 100% NPK as per SSNM Dose (T4) produced 21.15 t ha-1 of tuber i.e., ≅ 15% of targeted yield (25 t ha-1). And treatment getting 125% NPK as per SSNM Dose (T5) produces 22.27 t ha-1 of tuber which is ≅ 10% of the target yield.
Conversely, the absolute control treatment (T9) and treatments omitting specific nutrients showed the lowest yield. It is found that the yield responses to fertilization was ranked as follows: NPK > NK > NP > PK> Absolute control.
Soil nutrient availability was also affected by the amount of nutrients applied, with T3 showing the highest nutrient availability after harvest. With no change in pH, EC and organic carbon per cent of cultivated soil. The economic study revealed that treatment T3 provided the highest gross as well as net return and benefit-cost ratio whereas BC ratio of SSNM treatments is at par with 150 per cent RDF.
In conclusion, site-specific nutrient management (SSNM) demonstrated its potential to enhance potato crop productivity while promoting sustainable agricultural practices. Implementing SSNM can lead to improved nutrient use efficiency, yield, and economic returns, contributing to the sustainable growth of potato cultivation and food security.