Potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) seed production is often constrained by slow multiplication rates and disease accumulation. Apical rooted cuttings (ARC) offer a rapid, disease-free alternative for early generation seed (EGS) multiplication, but nutrient requirements for maximizing both yield and post-harvest performance remain poorly defined. This study was conducted to standardize nutrient inputs in ARC-derived seed tubers with special reference to yield attributes, storability, and cost economics.
Six nutrient regimes (T1-T6), varying in NPK intensity and secondary/micronutrient supplementation, were evaluated in a randomized block design. Growth parameters, yield components, seed-size tuber recovery (30-55 mm), tuber quality indices, and shelf-life traits under ambient storage (physiological weight loss, sprouting percentage, rosette/shriveling) were recorded. Cost economics were calculated based on input use, gross returns, net returns, and benefit-cost (B:C) ratio.
Balanced nutrient application (T1) produced the most favorable outcome, with vigorous canopy development, higher seed-size tuber recovery, and superior storability. T1 also achieved the highest B:C ratio (1.48), whereas the excessive-input treatment (T6) recorded the lowest (0.68), largely due to higher input costs and poor storability. Nutrient regimes including Ca, Mg, S, and foliar micronutrients significantly reduced physiological weight loss and sprouting during storage, enhancing seed tuber integrity compared with high-salt treatments.
The study demonstrates that profitability in ARC potato seed systems depends more on optimizing seed-size yield and storability than on maximizing gross yield. Standardized nutrient management tailored to ARC physiology thus provides a practical, cost-effective approach to strengthening seed potato supply chains by improving both economic returns and post-harvest performance.
