Effect of soil Solarization on multiplication of in-vitro planting materials of potato under field conditions Singh R.K.1,*, Sharma Jyotsana2, Singh G.K.3, Trehan S.P.4 1Krishi Vigyan Kendra, Indian Institute of Sugarcane Research, Lucknow, 226 002, Uttar Pradesh, India. 2National Research Centre on Pomegranate, Solapur, Maharashtra, India. 3Indian Institute of Sugarcane Research, Lucknow, 226 002, Uttar Pradesh, India. 4Central Potato Research Station, Jalandhar, 144 003, Punjab, India. *E-mail: rjan_1971@yahoo.co.in
Abstract A field experiment was carried out at CPRS, Jalandhar to study the effect of soil solarization on weeds and productivity of micro-tuber and mini-tuber crops of 3 potato cultivars. Mean maximum soil temperature recorded under the polyethylene mulch was 53.3°C at the surface, 50.5°C at 5 cm, 44.0°C at 10 cm and 38.6°C at 15 cm soil depth, which was higher than unsoalrized plots by 10.96°C, 9.4°C, 5.6°C and 3.9°C at respective depths. Soil solarization for 4 weeks increased available nutrients (N, P, K) by 15.7, 67.3 and 49.0% at planting and 11.44, 13.1 and 32.2% at harvesting. It reduced the weed population up to 98.0% and its fresh weight up to 99.2%. Yield from micro-tuber and mini-tuber crops was higher in solarized plots (279.0 and 456.9 q/ha, respectively) as compared to unsoalrized plots (193.2 and 399.2 q/ha, respectively). Top |