Abstract

In order to investigate the response of zinc sulphate application on quality of potato tubers, field experiments were carried out during winter seasons of 2014–15 and 2015–16 at Vegetable Research Centre, G. B. Pant University of Agriculture & Technology, Pantnagar, Udham Singh Nagar, Uttarakhand. The lay-out of experimental field was laid in randomized block design with 10 treatments with three replications. The results indicated that dry matter (22.57, 22.27 and 22.42%), starch (18.56, 19.11 and 18.83%) and protein (8.20, 8.45 and 8.33%) were maximum under treatment T9 (zinc sulphate @ 12.5 kg/ha at the time of planting and 12.5 kg/ha at the time of earthing-up), whereas available zinc content of potato tubers (52.27, 55.60 and 53.93 ppm) was higher under treatment T7 (zinc sulphate @ 25 kg/ha at the time of planting) during both the years and pooled analysis over the years, respectively. Results also indicated that specific gravity of potato tuber did not vary significantly with the treatments during both the years and pooled analysis over the years. Based on present investigation, it can be concluded that basal and/or split application of zinc sulphate at 25 kg/ha improved potato tuber quality under present agro-climatic conditions.