EFFECT OF BIOCHAR ON YIELD AND QUALITY OF POTATO TUBER

Abstract

The present experiment was conducted in the research field of Sher-e-Bangla Agricultural University (SAU), Sher-e-Bangla Nagar, Dhaka-1207, Bangladesh during the period from November, 2017 to March, 2018 in rabi season. The objective was to observe the effect of biochar on the yield and quality of potato tuber and to find out the optimum dose of biochar along with inorganic fertilizer for achieving the maximum yield of potato. The experiment consist of 9 treatments as T 1 = Control (no chemical fertilizer and biochar), T 2 = RFD (Recommended Fertilizer Dose); T 3 = RFD + Biochar @ 2.5 ton ha = RFD + Biochar @ 5.0 ton ha -1 ; T 5 = RFD + Biochar @ 7.5 tonha -1 ; T 6 of RFD + Biochar @ 2.5 ton ha -1 ; T 7 = ½ of RFD + Biochar @ 5.0 ton ha -1 = ; T 8 = ½ of RFD + Biochar @ 7.5 ton ha -1 ;T 9 = Biochar @ 10 tonha -1 . The experiment was laid out in a Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) with three replications. The tested variety was BARI Alu-7 (Diamant). Data were collected on different yield attributes, growth and quality of potato and postharvest soil analysis. A significant variation among the treatments in respect of majority of the parameters was observed. The maximum plant height was recorded from RFD + Biochar @ 7.5 ton ha -1 treatment. The highest number of stem hill and number of tubers hill -1 were recorded from T 6 treatment. The maximum weight of tubers (0.51 kg hill -1 ) and yield of tubers (35.76 ton ha treatment. The minimum yield of tubers (14.51t ha -1 -1 -1 1 -1 ; T 4 / 2 ) were produced from T 5 ) was produced from control treatment. The maximum data of quality parameters like % dry matter content (25.41), specific gravity (1.12) were also recorded in T 5 treatment. From postharvest soil analysis, the highest organic carbon (0.98%), organic matter (1.69%) was recorded in biochar @ 10 ton ha -1 treatment. From this study, it may be concluded that biochar had significant positive effect on yield and quality of potato and postharvest soil was improved considerably due to application of biochar along with inorganic fertilizers.