Influence of organic manures and nitrogen levels on nutrient status, translocation, yield and tuber quality in four potato based cropping systems*

The effect of organic manures and nitrogen was studied on potato in rotational cum manurial experiment being conducted since 1977 at Jalandhar during 1980–81. Application of organic manures in maize-potato (FYM)-wheat and GM-potato-wheat rotations had a significant effect on nutrient concentration, uptake, tuber and haulms yields upto 180 kg N/ha. Significant response to N was obtained upto 180 kg N/ha and yield increase was upto 129 q/ha. It had a positive effect on nutrients removal by haulms and tubers. The percentage of photosynthates translocated from haulms to tubers were less affected by organic manures and cropping systems whereas N rates decreased them. Nitrogen recovery by tubers was highest in maize-potato-wheat rotation and lowest in GM-potato-wheat. N rates increased true proteins (30.0%), crude proteins (49.2%), sugars (9.4%), and ascorbic acid content (7.9%). There was positive association between tuber yield and true proteins (0.718**) but negative with tuber K content (−0.643**).