Effect of unigreen nutrient and potasum spray on growth and leafs nutrients content of potato

Abstract

Two experiments were conducted during spring and fall seasons of 2005, using potato tubers of Desiree cultivar in the field of Department of Horticulture, College of Agriculture, University of Baghdad. A randomized complete block design was used to investigate the effect of foliar fertilizers, Unigreen (contain macro and micro elements) 2.5 g /L and solu potash (contains 50% K2O) 3.0 g /L. The first was sprayed at the vegetative stage, tuber initiation stage and at tubers bulking and enlargement stage. The second was sprayed at tubers bulking and enlargement stage. Solutions of these fertilizers were sprayed individually or mixed with each other at different stages of growth. The experiment consisted of 13 treatments arranged randomly in 3 replicates. Samples were taken from the leaves to test their nutrient contents and the vegetative characters were studied before harvest. Potato plants grown in spring treated with Unigreen at three stages gave taller plants (59.13 cm/ plant), higher percentages of N and P in leaves (2.79 and 0.44%). While Potato plants grown in fall season treated with Unigreen at three stage and solu potash gave taller plants (80.67cm) and higher percentages of N, P and K in leaves (3.97, 0.50 and 4.84% respectively). Plant at this treatment show higher number of stems per plant in spring and fall seasons (4.33 and 3.00 stem/ plant)and higher number of leaves per plant in spring (72.57 leaf/ plant) and higher dry weight of plant in spring and fall seasons (52.17 and 47.19 g / plant respectively) and higher percentages of K in leaves in spring. Higher content of Fe, Zn, Mn and Cu was found in the vegetative parts of these plants for both seasons.