ISSN: 2474-8846
Authors: Kakava BK* and Mapfumo P
Low levels of calcium and magnesium has been the prime challenge impeding farmers to attain high potato productivity in sandy soils. The actual tuber yield in Zimbabwe ranges between 8 to 35 t/ha. A yield gap of 77 percent has been experienced although efforts have been made in breeding high yielding potato varieties. The current study was conducted to evaluate the effect of different rates of Compound C extra fertilizer (5N:15P2O5:12K2O:6S:0.1B:6%Ca+3%Mg) compared to the traditional Compound C (5N:15P2O5:12K2O:6S:0.1B) on potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) productivity. The results obtained showed that tuber yield had a significant difference between treatments (p<0.05). Compound C at 2000 kg/ha recorded the highest tuber yield of 29.3 t/ha compared to Compound C extra at the same rate with 17.1 t/ha. Compound C at 500 kg/ha had a yield of 12.8 t/ha compared to Compound C extra at a similar rate with 16 t/ha. Compound C extra and Compound C at 1300 kg/ha recorded tuber yields (t/ha) of 15 and 20.3 respectively. It was concluded that Compound C extra at 1300 kg/ha was effective to increase plant height and number of leaves/plant. The traditional Compound C basal fertilizer gives a higher potato productivity at high rates of 1300 and 2000 kg/ha when compared to the improved Compound C extra at similar rates. Compound C extra at a low rate of 500 kg/ha proved to produce a considerably better yield compared to the traditional Compound C at the same rate. Farmers are recommended to apply the traditional Compound C fertilizer at a rate of 2000 kg/ha to increase total tuber yield.
Keywords: Productivity; Blend; Compound; Calcium; Magnesium
