Influence of Different Levels of Sulphur and Potassium and their Interactions on Different Quality and Storage Parameters of Potato

Abstract

Quality and storage attributes are major concern for potato cultivators as well as processors. Therefore an investigation was carried out to study influence of different levels of sulphur and potassium on different quality and storage parameters of potato. The experiment was laid out in Randomized Complete Block Design with three replications of two factors with four levels of each factor. The two factors were S (sulphur) and K (potassium) with four levels as, S0 (control or no sulphur), S1 (20 kg S ha-1), S2 (40 kg S ha-1) and S3 (60 kg S ha-1) where as potassium levels were, K0 (control or no potassium), K1 (100 kg K ha-1), K2 (125 kg K ha-1) and K3 (150 kg K ha-1). Maximum value (1.48 g cc-1) for specific gravity, Soluble solid content (6.31 0Brix), vitamin C (16.58 mg 100 g-1), crude protein content(1.93%) and Dry matter content (23.09%) in tubers were recorded with S3 (60 kg ha-1) , besides significantly lower values of physiological weight loss (17.50%), sprouting (16.93%) and rotting (15.04%) were also recorded with S3 (60 kg ha-1) level followed by S2 (40 kg S ha-1). Significantly maximum values of quality traits like specific gravity (1.79 g cc-1), Soluble solid content (6.92 0Brix), vitamin C (21.62 mg 100 g-1), crude protein content (2.35%), Dry matter content (25.49%) in tubers were recorded with K3 (150 kg K ha-1), further significantly lower values of physiological weight loss (13.89%), sprouting (11.47 %) and rotting loss (9.92%) were recorded with S3 (150 kg K ha-1). Conjugation of 150 kg K ha-1 K+ 60 kg S ha-1 recorded maximum values of quality traits specific gravity (1.80), soluble solid content (7.63 0Brix), vitamin C (22.10 mg 100 g-1), crude protein content (2.49%) and dry matter content (25.92%), however S content of 0.367% was recorded with K3S3(150 kg K + 60 kg S ha-1), besides significantly lower values of physiological weight loss (13.47%), sprouting (10.44%) and rotting loss (5.43%) followed by S3K3 treatment.