DISEASE FREE POTATO PRODUCTION THROUGH CULTURAL MANGEMENT

Abstract

An experiment was conducted to find out the effects of planting and haulm pulling dates to obtain maximum potential yield with better quality of potato cultivar (Cardinal). The experimental treatment was arranged as a two factors factorial experiment where factor ‘A’ was different sowing times (2nd October, 1st November, 1st December and 31st December) and factor ‘B’ was different haulm pulling time (70DAS, 77DAS, 84DAS AND 91DAS). The Randomized Complete Block Design was used with 3 replication in the field during (2016-2017). In this experiment different planting dates and different haulm pulling dates influenced plot yield (kg), yield (ton/ha), no of tuber/ha, percentage of edible potato and marketable potato/ha. Four planting dates (2nd October, 1st November, 1st December and 31st December) were evaluated where the highest yield (ton/ha) and marketable potato/ha were recorded from 1st November planting. Minimum incidence of several diseases was observed at 1st November. Similarly four haulm pulling dates (70DAS, 77DAS, 84DAS and 91DAS) were evaluated where the highest yield (ton/ha), no of tuber/ha and marketable potato/ha were recorded from 91 days after sowing but maximum post harvest disease incidence was also observed at that haulm pulling time. With increasing of the time of haulm pulling, the post harvest disease incidence was also increased. That’ s why 91DAS was not considered perfect time for haulm pulling. On the other hand yield was comparatively better and disease incidence was lower at 84 DAS. So the results showed that the best time for planting in 1st November and haulm pulling time at 84 days after sowing.