RESPONSE OF POTATO (Solanum tuberosum L.) GROWTH, YIELD AND STORABILITY TO SOME ORGANIC MANURE RATES AND FOLIAR SPRAY OF SOME MACRONUTRIENTS: 1-VEGETATIVE GROWTH, YIELD AND YIELD COMPONENTS

Abstract

Two field experiments were conducted on potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) Spunta cv plants during the winter seasons of 2008/2009 and 2009/2010 at Kafre Meet Faris village near El-Mansoura, Dakahlia Governorate, Egypt, to study the effect of organic fertilizer rates (20, 30 and 40 m 3 /fed) and some inorganic fertilizers (NPK) levels (100%, 75% and 50% from recommended dose), either alone or in combination with foliar spray with some macronutrients sources (Hi-Fertil 1 and Ferty More) on the plant growth, yield, and yield components. The results showed that the plants fertilized with 40 m 3 /fed. farmyard manure (FYM) followed by 30 m 3 /fed. significantly increased plant stem length, number of leaves/plant, leaf area/plant and foliage dry weight/plant as well as average of tubers weight/plant and total yield. Increasing the supplied NPK level up to 100% from recommended level caused significant increases in the most vegetative growth parameters.Also, tubers weight/plant, marketable yield and total yield were increased significantly. Also, the results indicated that the plants sprayed with Hi-Fertil 1(19-19-19, NPK), had a significant effect in most vegetative growth parameters while, plants sprayed with Ferty More (5-3-43, NPK) resulted in significant increases in foliage dry weight/plant, tubers weight/plant, marketable yield and total yield. In general, the best results were obtained by using 40 m 3 FYM, 50% NPK level and foliar spray with Ferty More (5-3-43, NPK) followed by the interaction among 40 m 3 FYM, 50% NPK level and foliar spray with Hi-Fertil 1(19-19-19, NPK). These treatments achieved increases in tubers weight/plant total yield and marketable yield as well as decreasing unmarketable yield. Therefore, these treatments could be recommended for raising productivity, improving quality of potato and will also decrease the pollution of environment under the conditions of El-Dakahlia Governorate.