Effects of magnesium on the performance of potato in the Tista Meander Floodplain soil

Abstract

The experiment was conducted in the farmers' field of the Farming Systems Research and Development (FSRD) site, Rangpur under Tista Meander Floodplain highland soils (AEZ # 3b) for three consecutive Rabi seasons (2002-03 to 2004-05). The potato variety Cardinal was tested with 5 levels of magnesium viz., 0, 5, 10, 15, and 20 kg/ha to observe its effects on potato and to find out the optimum and economic dose of Mg for potato. The three years’ results revealed that magnesium had significant effects on tuber yield of potato. Significantly higher tuber yield (32.33, 31.63, and 28.03 t/ha in three successive years) was obtained from 10 kg/ha of Mg. Tuber yield tended to decrease with increasing rate of Mg beyond 10 kg/ha. Tuber yields increased over control by 18 and 31 % when magnesium was applied @ 5 and 10 kg/ha, respectively. Yield response to added Mg was quadratic in nature. The regression with Mg levels indicate that maximum tuber yield (30.32 t/ha) could be obtained at 13 kg/ha of Mg and the economic dose was also 13 kg/ha of Mg. Use efficiency of Mg was 512.25 kg tuber of potato per kg Mg per ha. After optimum level of Mg (13 kg/ha) tuber yield reduced by 3.83 kg for additional use of one kg Mg/ha.

Key Words: Potato; tuber yield; magnesium; use efficiency.

DOI: 10.3329/bjar.v34i2.5797

Bangladesh J. Agril. Res. 34(2): 255-261, June 2009