Ishwori Prasad Gautam1, Prakash Bhattarai2 and Man Bahadur Shrestha3
1Principal Scientist, Horticulture Research Division, Agricultural Research Council, Khumaltar, Lalitpur, Nepal.
2Senior scientist, National Potato Research Program, Khumaltar,lalitpur, Nepal.
3Senior Technical Officer, food Research Division, Khumaltar, Lalitpur, Nepal.
Abstract
First set of experiment were conducted on seven promising genotypes of potato at Hattiban Farm, Khumaltar in mid hill and inner terai at farmers field Chitwan during 2012/13 for evaluation and verification of processing genotypes of potato. Spacing experiments were also conducted in both locations during 2012/13 and 2013/ 14 on genotype L-235.4 to study the effect of spacing for processing grades tuber production. ln mid at Hattiban Farm, the genotypes differed significantly on emergence percentage at 30 DAP, plant uniformity, ground coverage percentage, plant height at 90 DAP, <30 and > 60 g tuber number distribution,and 30-60 g and > 60 g tuber weight and total yield. The genotype K. Jyot produced the maximum weight of >60g tuber yield while total yield was recorded the maximum in K. Jyoti followed by L-235.4. In inner terai at Saradanagar, Chitwan, genotypes BSU PO3 and CIP 389746.2 were found promising for higher yield of processing grades tuber yield but processing qualities were observed better in genotypes BSU PO3 and L-235.4. The results of spacing trial showed the significant differences on ground coverage, <30 and 30-60 g tuber weight in mid hill. The maximum yield of 30-60 g tuber was recorded in 60x 30 cm spacing and decreased linearly and produced the lowest yield in 90x 30 cm. In inner terai Chitwan,no significant variation was observed on yield of different grades tubers. However, it follows the same pattern on total yield as in mid hill at hattiban Farm. The processing qualities like dry matter and specific gravity increased gradually at wider spacing and reached the maximum in 90 x 30 cm in both locations. All spacing had the reducing sugars below the limit for processing in to chips.
Keywords: Genotypes, potato, locations, spacing, processing grade tuber production