EFFECT OF ZINC AND BORON ON THE GROWTH AND YIELD OF POTATO

Abstract

The experiment was conducted at the Sher-e-Bangla Agricultural University Farm, Dhaka, Bangladesh during November 2019 to February 2020 to study the effect of Zinc and Boron fertilizer on growth and yield of potato (Solanum tuberosum). Three Zinc levels; Zn 0 = 0 kg Zn ha -1 , Zn 1 = 3 kg Zn ha -1 and Zn 2 = 6 kg Zn ha -1 and Three Boron levels; B 0 = 0 kg B ha -1 , B 1 = 1 kg B ha -1 and B 2 = 2 kg B ha -1 were considered for the present study. The experiment was laid out in the two factors Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) with three replications. Data on different growth and yield of potato were recorded. Most of parameters were significantly affected by different levels of Zn application. The highest tuber yield ha -1 (25.42 t) and marketable yield ha (23.05 t) were found from the treatment Zn 2 (6 kg Zn ha -1 -1 ) compared to control treatment Zn 0

(0 kg Zn ha -1 ). Boron treatment also significantly affected all the studied parameters and the highest tuber yield ha -1 (23.15 t) and marketable yield ha -1 (20.78 t) were achieved from the treatment B 2 (2 kg B ha -1 ) compared to control treatment B 0 (0 kg B ha -1 ). Considering combined effect of Zn and B, the highest plant height (70.93 cm) was recorded from the treatment combination of Zn 2 B 0 (6 kg Zn ha -1 ), Again the highest number of leaves hill -1 (58.19) , number of stem hill -1 (5.56) , number of tuber hill -1 (8.58), weight of tuber hill -1 (244.2 g), weight of tuber plot + 0 kg B ha (6.89 kg), tuber yield ha -1 (27.82 t) and marketable yield ha -1 (25.05 t) were recorded from the treatment combination of Zn 2 B 2 (6 kg Zn ha -1 + 2 kg B ha -1 ) whereas lowest plant height (45.55 cm), number of stem hill -1 (4.50), number of leaves hill -1 (40.28), number of tuber hill -1 (6.34), weight of tuber hill -1 (90.03 g), weight of tuber plot -1 (4.12 kg), tuber yield ha -1 (11.32 t) and marketable yield ha -1 (9.03 t) were found from the treatment combination of Zn 0 B 0 (0 kg Zn ha -1 + 0 kg B ha -1 -1 ). So, it may be recommended that Zn 2

(6 kg Zn ha -1 ) with B 2 (2kg B ha -1 ) was better for growth and yield of potato.