Tuber cracking in potato – A physiological disorder*

Field experiments were conducted in sandy soil of Central Potato Research Station, Patna during 1978–79 to 1982–83 to find out the causes and remedies of tuber cracking in potaro cv. Kufri Jyoti. Yield enhancement through increase in tuber size alone by frequent irrigations at 70% available soil moisture of by higher fertilizer dose aggravated the problem. Closer intra-row spacing reduced tuber cracking. Similarly, planting of small size tubers resulted in less cracking with no loss in yield as compared to large size tubers at equal seed rate but reverse was true at equal intra-row spacing. Soaking of seed potatoes in 2.5 ppm GA; (Gibberellic acid) solution also reduced this malady without any adverse effed on yield. Shifting the planting date from 5th November to 15th November, caused reduction in tuber cracking with no reduction in tuber size and yield. Noted positive association of this defed with tuber size (r= 0.84) and yield (r=0.74) and negative with tuber number (r= −0.47) explained most of the findings and suggested that efforts of yield enhancement in Kufri Jyoti should be through increase in tuber number rather than in tuber size for the remedy of this physiological disorder.