IMPROVING GROWTH, YIELD AND QUALITY OF POTATO THROUGH BIOCHAR AND VERMICOMPOST MANAGEMENT

Abstract

Increasing tuber yield and ensuring good quality potato are challenging in Bangladesh. Combined application of biochar and vermicompost along with recommended dose of chemical fertilizers may improve the yield and quality of potato. From this aspect, a field experiment was carried out at the Agronomy Research Field, Sher-e-Bangla Agricultural University, Dhaka during the period from November 2021 to February 2022 in the Rabi season for improving growth, yield and quality of potato through biochar and vermicompost management. The experiment comprised two factors and followed split plot design with three replications. Factor A, doses of biochar application viz., (4) B 1 : 0 (Control), B 2 : 1.5 t ha -1 , B 3 : 3.0 t ha -1 and B 4 ii : 4.5 t ha -1 and Factor B, doses of vermicompost application viz., (4) Vm 1 : 0 (Control), Vm 2 : 1.5 t ha -1 , Vm 3 and Vm 4 : 4.5 t ha -1 . In case of levels of biochar application, the B 4 treatment had the highest tuber yield, marketable tuber yield, dry matter content of potato and starch content which were statistically similar to B 3 treatment, however the lowest yield and qualities of potato were observed in B 0 treatment. Number of tubers hill -1 , average tuber weight, yield, different categories of potato tuber, dry matter content, specific gravity and starch content increased with increasing the vermicompost level. The highest marketable tuber yield, the highest chips potato yield, dry matter content of potato and starch content of potato were observed from Vm 4 treatment, which was statistically similar to Vm treatment. In respect of the interaction effect, the highest tuber yield (32.47 t ha -1 ), marketable tuber yield (32.07 t ha -1 ), french fry potato yield (6.37 t ha -1 ), specific gravity of potato (1.068 g cm -3 ) and starch (18.45 mg g -1 FW) were observed in B 4 Vm 4 interaction whereas, the lowest was recorded from B 1 Vm 1 treatment. However, B 4 Vm 3, B 3 interaction treatments showed statistically similar results in terms of yield and quality attributes of potato. So, the combination of biochar and vermicompost at the rate of each of 3 t ha -1 (B 3 Vm 3 ) along with recommended dose of chemical fertilizers would be used for producing maximum yield and good processing quality potato without sacrificing yield.