Zinc Fertilization in Potato: A Physiological and Bio-chemical Study

Aims: More than 54% of soils in West Bengal are Zinc (Zn) deficient and therefore, Zn−fertilization is assumed to play a key role not only for increasing potato yield but also for combating wide spread deficiency of micronutrients (mainly Zn) in many potato growing areas of the state.

Place and Duration of Study: A two-year field experiment was conducted during winter 2013-14 and 2014-15 at to assess the advantages of Zn nutrition in potato cv. Kufri Jyoti under alluvial soil (Entisols) of West Bengal, India

Methodology: The experiment was laid out in randomized block design (RBD) having five treatments and four replications The potato was fertilized with five zinc levels (0, 1.5, 3.0, 4.5 and 6.0 kg Zn ha−1) through zinc sulphate heptahydrate i.e. ZnSO4, 7H2O (commercial grade Multi-Zn contained 21% Zn) at the time of planting. A uniform dose of NPK at 200:150:150 kg ha−1 RDF was applied in all the plots in the form of urea (46% N), single super phosphate (16% P2O5), and muriate of potash (60% K2O).

Results: Application Zn fertilizer at 4.5 kg ha−1 recorded significantly higher germination %, plant height, leaf area index (LAI), dry matter accumulation (DMA) and number of tubers hill−1. Total number and yield of tuber ha−1 were also changed significantly (P≤ .05) with the levels of Zn-fertilization. Quality parameters like total soluble solids (TSS), total acidity, ascorbic acid, starch and amount of total sugar contents of fresh potato tuber as well as organoleptic quality of chips (colour) also influenced significantly (P≤ .05) with varied levels of Zn fertilization.

Conclusion: Results suggest that application of 4.5 kg Zn ha−1 in combination with recommended dose fertilizer (RDF) of NPK (i.e. 200:150:150 kg ha−1) is vital for optimizing yield components, yield and quality of potato (cv. Kufri Jyoti) in trans-Gangetic plains of West Bengal, India.