Effect of fertilizers on yield and yield component of potato

A study was conducted at eastern zone of Tigray, Ethiopia during 2012 rainy season to evaluate the effect of phosphorous and potassium fertilizer rates on the yield and yield components of potato (Solanum tuberosum L.). In this experiment a combination of four levels of phosphorous and four levels of potassium were used. The design used was a factorial experiment arranged in Randomized Complete Block with three replications in two locations. The recommended N 110 Kg/ha rate for potato was applied as urea to all treatments equally. The study revealed that effect of location and PK fertilizer rates had helped to significantly increase the growth parameters, yield components, marketable yield, total tuber yield and nutrient use efficiency of potato. Moreover, days to flowering and physiological maturity, number of stems per hill, unmarketable yield and fertilizer use efficiency were significantly affected by the interaction of PK fertilizer and location. The optimum total tuber yield was obtained due the effect of PK fertilizer. The highest total and marketable tuber yield increase by 36.9 and 45 %, respectively compared to the control was obtained due to PK application.