Influence of integrated application of NPK, Biofertilizers and zinc on the growth, yield and quality of potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) cv. Kufri Ganga

This present investigation entitled "Influence of Integrated Application of NPK, Biofertilizers, and Zinc on the Growth, Yield and Quality of Potato (Solanum tuberosum) cv. Kufri Ganga" was carried out in Kanpur, India, in the Research Field of the Vegetable Science Centre of Excellence during the Rabi season of 2024-2025. The experimental study was carried out using a Randomized Block Design (RBD) comprising three replications, each consisting of ten plots. Kufri Ganga. Treatments varied significantly in all observed parameters, with T₉ (150% RDF + 5.0 kg/ha Zn + foliar spray of ZnSO₄ 0.5% at 25 and 50 DAS) consistently recording the highest values. Plant emergence ranged from 85.35% to 97.68%, with T₉ showing maximum emergence. Growth attributes such as plant height, number of leaves, number of stems, and fresh and dry leaf weights were highest in T₉ at all growth stages, followed closely by T₃, T₄, and T₅. Yield parameters, including number of tubers per plant and per plot, tuber weight, yield per plant, yield per plot, and marketable yield per hectare, were significantly enhanced under T₉, achieving 36.24 t/ha, which was markedly higher than the control (12.80 t/ha). Biochemical traits also responded positively, with T₉ recording the highest total sugar (2.72%), reducing sugar (1.31%), starch (0.96%), total soluble solids (5.98 °Brix), and chlorophyll content (1.39 mg/g). Overall, integrated application of 150% RDF with soil-applied zinc and foliar ZnSO₄ sprays proved most effective in enhancing crop growth, yield, and quality attributes compared to other treatments and the control. This highlights the potential of combined nutrient management strategies for maximizing productivity and quality in the studied crop.