B.B. Khatri and S.L. Shrestha
Potato Research Programme Nepal Agricultural Research Council Khumaltar

DOI

ABSTRACT

To find out the optimum doses of organic and inorganic fertilizers on potato, a series of experiments were conducted in different locations from high hills, mid-hills and terai of Nepal for several years in the past. In general, the application of N3 P2 O5 and K2O increased the tuber yield and their uptake significantly. In Kathmandu, one of the representative site from mid-hills the optimum doses were found 100:100:60 kg/ha along with 20 tons compost or farm yard manure (FYM) per hectare as a basal dose in furrows. To reduce the cost of production in other locations of the country, few more multi-locational experiments are still to be conducted for the judicious use of manure and fertilizers. Fertilizer dose verification studies carried out in the past at Khumaltar and outside under on-station and on-farm conditions are reviewed and future research needs are presented here. Available report shows that fertilizer study trial was started since 1997. The results presented here are expected to serve as very useful guidelines to the application of fertilizers in potato crop. Now to find out accurate and economic dose of chemical fertilizer in major agro-ecological zones of the country, some more experiments should be carried out in the country.