Performance of potato (Solanum tuberosum) under varieties different potassium levels

A field experiment was conducted during rabi seasons of 2018–21 at the research farm of Bhola PaswanShastri Agricultural College, Purnea, Bihar to find out the performance of different varieties of potato under varyinglevels of potassium. The experiment consisted of three varieties (‘Kufri Pukhraj’, ‘Kufri Kanchan’ and ‘KufriSindhuri’) in main plots and five levels of potassium (Control, 75% RDK, 100% RDK, 125% RDK and 150% RDK)in sub-plots. The experiment was laid out in split plot design and replicated thrice. Late variety of potato i.e. ‘KufriSindhuri’ produced significantly taller plants, higher number of leaves per plant, number of stems/plant, number oftubers/plant, tuber weight/plant and tuber yield as compared to other varieties. ‘Kufri Sindhuri’ was also taken significantlymore number of days to maturity (126 days) than ‘Kufri Pukhraj’ (85 days) and ‘Kufri Kanchan’ (106days). However, early variety of potato i.e. ‘Kufri Pukhraj’ recorded significantly higher average tuber weight overother varieties. Significantly higher net returns of `1,87,557/- along with B:C ratio of 1.32 was fetched by ‘KufriSindhuri’ over early and medium varieties. Whereas, significantly higher production efficiency (262.0 kg/ha/day)was recorded with ‘Kufri Pukhraj’. With respect to quality parameters, late variety (Kufri Sindhuri) recorded significantlyhigher value of total soluble solids (TSS) and the lowest physiological weight loss, sprouting loss, rottingloss and total weight loss during storage as compared to early and medium varieties of potato. Increasing levels ofpotassium up to 125% RDK (187.5 kg K2O/ha) significantly increased the plant height, number of leaves per plant,number of tubers per plant, tuber yield and production efficiency as compared to lower levels. However, number ofstems per hill was increased up to 125% RDK but significant impact was observed only up to 75% RDK over control.Average tuber weight of potato was increased from control to 150% RDK but the significance response wasobserved only up to 100% RDK. Whereas, tuber weight per plant was increased significantly up to the highestlevel of potassium (150% RDK) over lower levels. Application of 150% RDK (225.0 kg K2O/ha) being at par with125% RDK (187.5 kg K2O/ha) fetched significantly highest net returns of `2,07,185/- along with B:C ratio of 1.47over control, 75% RDK and 100% RDK. Quality parameters of potato i.e. total soluble solids (TSS), physiologicalloss of weight, sprouting loss, rotting loss and total weight loss were influenced significantly with application ofpotassium.