Utilization of Forgoing Coastal Rice Fallow Lands of Bangladesh with Zero Tillage Potato Cultivation using Different Rates of Residues

Abstract

An experiment was conducted in south-western coastal saline area of Khulna district ofBangladesh (22°35′53.463″ N latitude and 89°27′42.617″ E longitude) during the period fromDecember 2018 to March 2019. The experiment was laid out in two factor Randomized CompleteBlock (RCB) design with three replications. Factor A included two potato varieties (V1= BARI Alu-72 and V2= BARI Alu-73) and factor B consisted with three rates of rice straw mulch viz. M1= 4 tonha−1, M2= 7 ton ha−1 and M3= 10 ton ha−1. Average thickness of mulch treatments were 11 cm, 13 cmand 15 cm, respectively. Mulch rate had significant effect on different soil and crop parameters,however there was no significant effect observed in variety and variety vs mulch rate. At harvest,highest plant height (50.7 cm), stem dry weight (1.33 g plant-1) and leaf dry weight (7.29 g plant−1)were recorded from M3 treatment. In case of yield components and yield, M3 treatment gavehighest value for number of tuber per plant (7.11), individual tuber weight (59.38 g), tuber yield(15.62 t ha−1), haulm yield (2.26 t ha−1). Significantly highest moisture was conserved by M3 treatment(27.13%) at harvest as well effectively controlled salinity (ECe) increase (only 1.25% increase thaninitial). So, it is observed that rice straw @ 10 t ha-1 is most suitable for zero tillage potato cultivationin the coastal area of Bangladesh.