Integrated effect of humic acid, biofertilizers and inorganic fertilizers on growth and yield of potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) var. Kufri Chandramukhi

The current study entitled “Integrated effect of humic acid, bio-fertilizers and inorganic fertilizers on growth and yield of potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) Var. Kufri Chandramukhi” was conducted at Horticulture Research Farm, College of Agriculture, RVSKVV, and Gwalior (M.P.). Potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) is an annual herbaceous plant belonging to family Solanaceae. Being a cool-season vegetable crop, potatoes are well suited in temperate locations where the average temperature of their growth typically does not exceed 18˚C. Potato is a high yielding crop but depletes nutrients from the soil quickly and has a short growing season. Relying too heavily on inorganic fertilizers, can cause imbalances in nutrients and harm the physical, chemical, and biological properties of soil. Biofertilizers such as Azotobacter, PSB, and KSB have been identified as affordable alternatives for enhancing soil fertility and maximizing crop yield. Application of natural resources like humic acid along with NPK fertilizers led to a reduction in the leaching of nitrogen and potassium to lower soil layers, while also increasing the availability of phosphorus. Three replications of the experiment were set up in the RBD. Each replication was comprised of thirteen treatments consisting different doses of humic acid as foliar spray, bio-fertilizers like Azotobacter, PSB, and KSB, with different quantity of inorganic fertilizers. The treatment T₁₃ [N (75%) + P (75%) + K (75%) + Azotobacter+ PSB+KSB+ Humic acid (2%)] was found best among all treatments and it also gave the maximum growth, yield, and economic parameters.