Effect of balanced fertilization on growth, yield and economics of potato (Solanum tuberosum L.)

A field experiment was conducted during two consecutive rabi and summer seasons of 2021-22 and 2022-23 on loamy sand soil at Agronomy Instructional Farm, Chimanbhai Patel College of Agriculture, Sardarkrushinagar Dantiwada Agricultural University, Sardarkrushinagar, Gujarat to study the effect of Balanced Fertilization on growth, yield and economics of Potato (Solanum tuberosum L.). There were total ten different treatments viz., T₁: RDN, T₂: RDNP, T₃: RDNK, T₄: RDPK, T₅: RDNPK, T₆: RDN + FeSO₄ 25 kg/ha + ZnSO₄ 10 kg/ha, T₇: RDNP + FeSO₄ 25 kg/ha + ZnSO₄ 10 kg/ha, T₈: RDNK + FeSO₄ 25 kg/ha + ZnSO₄ 10 kg/ha, T₉: RDPK + FeSO₄ 25 kg/ha + ZnSO₄ 10 kg/ha and T₁₀: RDNPK + FeSO₄ 25 kg/ha + ZnSO₄ 10 kg/ha were tested in randomized block design with three replications. Among the different balanced fertilization treatments effect of RDNPK + 25 kg/ha FeSO₄ and 10 kg/ha ZnSO₄ proved superior with respect to significantly higher plant height, number of stems per hill, crop growth rate, relative growth rate, number of tubers per plant, grade wise tuber yield, total tuber yield (425.02 q/ha), haulm yield (22.76 q/ha) as well as net return (2,92,579/ha). However, all these parameters were stood statistically at par with treatment RDNPK. Whereas, maximum BCR (2.54) was recorded with treatment RDNPK.