EFFECT OF IRRIGATION FREQUENCY AND TIME OF HARVEST ON GROWTH, YIELD AND QUALITY OF POTATO

Abstract

The field experiment was conducted at Sher-e-Bangla Agricultural University during the period from October, 2020 to March, 2021 to find out the effect of irrigation frequency and harvesting time on growth, yield and quality of export potato. The experiment had two factors. Factor A: Irrigation frequency: 3 levels; I 1 : 3 irrigation at 15, 45 and 60 DAP, I 2 : 4 irrigation at 15, 30, 45 and 60 DAP, I 3 : 5 irrigation at 15, 30, 45, 60 and 75 DAP and Factor B: harvesting time: 4 times; H 1 : harvesting at 85 DAP, H 2 : harvesting at 90 DAP, H 3 ii : harvesting at 95 DAP and H 4 : harvesting at 100 DAP. The experiment was laid out in a split-plot design with three (3) replications. The variety was BARI Alu-29 (Courage). Data on different growth, yield and quality parameters of potato were recorded and significant variation was recorded for different treatment. In case of irrigation frequency, the maximum number of tubers hill (11.65),the maximum tuber weight hill -1 (395.40 g), the highest yield of tuber (32.94 t ha ) was found from I 3 treatment.The highest starch content on potato (17.45 mg g -1 FW) and the maximum reducing sugar value (0.443 mg g -1 FW) was recorded from 3 Irrigation (I 1 ) treatment. The highest canned potato production was produced in 5 Irrigation (8.24 t ha -1 ) while the highest flakes potato production (14.83 t ha -1 ) and the maximum chips potato production (9.88 t ha ) were obtained from I 3 treatment.In case of harvesting date, the maximum number of tubers hill (11.53) at ‘95 DAP’ harvest (H 3 ) treatment whereas the maximum tuber weight hill -1 (390.30 g) and the highest tuber yield (32.59 t ha -1 ) were recorded from the harvest at 100 DAP (H 4 ) treatment.The highest specific gravity of tuber (1.058 g cm -3 ), the maximum dry matter content of tuber (22.17 %) and the highest starch content of tuber (16.27 mg g -1 FW) was recorded from potato harvested at 100 DAP.In the case of interaction effects of irrigation frequency and harvesting date, the maximum number of tubers hill -1 (12.23), the maximum weight of tubers hill -1 (435.38 g) and the highest tuber yield (36.31 t ha -1 ) were recorded from the combination of I 3 H 4 treatment. Among the 12 treatment combinations, ‘5 Irrigation frequency’ exhibited the highest specific gravity (1.070 g cm -3 ) and the maximum DM content (22.67 %) at 100 DAP. The highest starch content on potato (17.70 mg g -1 FW) was attained by I 3 H 4 treatment combination. The highest canned potato production (9.08 t ha -1 ), the highest (16.34 t ha -1 ) flakes potato production and the maximum (10.89 t ha -1 ) chips potato production exhibited by I 3 H 4 treatment combination. Therefore,application of 5 Irrigation with 100 DAP harvesting date combination seemed to be more suitable for getting higher tuber yield with good quality.