EFFECT OF MAGNESIUM AND BORON ON GROWTH, YIELD AND QUALITY OF POTATO (Solanum tuberosum L.)

Abstract

A field experiment was conducted at the Horticulture Farm, Hajee Mohammad Danesh Science and Technology University, Dinajpur during November 2006 to February 2007 to study the effects of Mg and B on growth, yield and quality of potato cv. Diamant. There were four levels of Mg namely, 0, 8, 10 and 12kg Mg ha’! and also four levels of B viz. 0, 1, 2 and 3kg B ha" in the experiment. The parameters studied were days required to first emergence and 80% emergence, plant height at different DAPs, number of leaves hill"! at different DAPs, number of main stems hill’, fresh weight of haulm hill, dry matter content of tuber, number of tubers hill', yield of tubers hill’, yield of tuber plot’! as well as hectare” and percent grades of tubers by number and weight. The results of the present experiment clearly revealed that fresh weight of haulm hill’, number of main stem hill’', number of tubers hill, yield of tuber plot” and hectare’ were maximum in the Mg>B, treatment combination while — the minimum in the control one. The effects of Mg and B on days required to first emergence and 80% emergence, number of leaves at 45 and 60 DAPs were insignificant. The main effect of Mg on plant height, number of leaves at 75 and 90 DAPs, fresh weight of haulm hill', dry matter content and yield of tubers were also significant. The single effect of B on plant height, number of leaves, number of main stems hill”, fresh weight of haulm hill, dry matter content, number of tubers hill and yield of tubers ha' were significant too. Increase in the doses of Mg and B resulted significant increase in growth and yield of tubers. The highest yield of tubers (25.92 ton ha') was obtained from the moderate dose of Mg (10kg Mg ha’). The plant receiving the highest dose of B (3kg B ha’') produced the highest tubers (27.16 ton ha’). The maximum yield (28.21 ton ha’) was obtained from the treatment combination Mg»B, showing 46.92% higher yield over the control one. The lowest yield (19.20 ton ha”) was experienced in the control plot. All grades were significant except the A grade by number and weight