1Central Potato Research Station, Jalandhar-144 003, (Punjab).
2Department of Ag. Botany, CCS University, Meerut-250 005, (Uttar Pradesh).
*Part of the Ph.D. thesis (2001) of Sr. author, approved by CCS University, Meerut-250 005, (Uttar Pradesh).
Physiological losses in potato tubers as influenced by fertilizer nutrients, N P K and farm yard manure (FYM) in balanced and unbalanced combinations were studied for two years during storage in an evaporativeIy cooled store (ECS). Mean physiological weight loss (respiration + evaporation) and total storage losses increased from 7.5 to 13.7 per cent and 11.0 to 21.0 per cent, respectively between 90 and 120 days of storage. Physiological weight loss contributed maximum (65.2%) to the total weight loss followed by sprout loss (22.1%) and loss due to tuber rots (12.7%). Application of potassium through NK and NPK, where N was applied half at planting and half at earthing up, significantly reduced the weight loss and total storage losses up to 120 days of storage. Combined application of NPK and FYM however, increased storage losses over comparable treatment without FYM. N, P and K treatments with and without FYM had no influence on sprouting, sprout growth and rottage in tubers during storage.
