Evaluation of Varietal and Location Effects on Growth, Yield and Economics of Potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) in Eastern Uttar Pradesh, India

Abstract

Potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) is the fourth most important food crop globally after maize, wheat, and rice and plays a vital role in food and nutritional security. In India, it is a major Rabi crop with Uttar Pradesh as the leading producer. However, potato performance varies across environments, making location and variety-specific evaluations essential for enhancing productivity and profitability. The present study was conducted during the Rabi season of 2024-25 in three blocks of Siddharth Nagar district, Uttar Pradesh, namely Bansi (L1), Barhni (L2) and Itwa (L3), to evaluate the growth, yield and economics of four potato varieties: Lal Gulab (V1), Chipsona-1 (V2), Kufri Sindhuri (V3), and Kufri Pukhraj (V4). The experiment was laid out in a factorial randomized block design with three replications. Significant differences were observed among locations and varieties. Barhni recorded the tallest plants (32.68 cm) and maximum shoots per plant (4.75), while Itwa produced the highest tuber number per plant (7.40) and average tuber weight (61.79 g). The maximum tuber yield (27.37 t ha⁻¹) was observed at Bansi (L). Among varieties, Kufri Pukhraj outperformed others, recording the highest plant height (36.12 cm), tuber number (9.50), tuber weight (72.64 g) and yield (30.20 t ha⁻¹), followed by Chipsona-1. Lal Gulab was the lowest-yielding variety (25.40 t ha⁻¹). Economic analysis revealed Kufri Pukhraj as the most profitable with gross return ₹447,556 ha⁻¹, net return ₹331,069 ha⁻¹ and B:C ratio 2.84. Overall, Kufri Pukhraj demonstrated superior adaptability and profitability across all locations. These findings provide strong evidence for recommending Kufri Pukhraj to farmers in the region, as its higher yield and profitability can directly enhance farm income and support sustainable potato cultivation.