1Potato Research Station, Shillong-793 009, (Meghalaya).
2Division of Crop Production, Central Potato Research Institute, Shimla-171 001, (Himachal Pradesh).
*Present Address: Central Potato Research Station, Patna-801 506, (Bihar).
Field experiment carried out during 1999 and 2000 at Shillong (Meghalaya), revealed that inoculation of seed tubers prior to planting with phosphorous solubilizing bio-fertilizer significantly increased potato tuber yield, uptake of N and P as well as net returns over uninnoculated seed tubers. Application of 100% of recommended dose of N (120 kg/ha) recorded highest tuber yield, net return and uptake of N and P. Phosphoms fertilization also exerted significant influence on tuber yield, net return and uptake of N and P. Response of potato to phosphorous increased when seed tubers were inoculated with Pseudomonas striata or crop fertilized with nitrogen. Nitrogen and phosphorous applied to potato showed significant residual effect on plant stand, marketable yield and net return of radish grown in succeeding autumn season. Highest yield of radish was realized when preceding potato crop was fertilized with recommended dose of nitrogen and phosphorous (120 kg N + 120 kg P2O5/ha). However, the residual effect of inoculation of potato with phosphobacteria was not significant on radish.
