Response of potato crop to selected nutrients in central and eastern highlands of Kenya

• Published in: Cogent food & agriculture Vol. 7; no. 1
• Main Authors: Mugo, James N., Karanja, Nancy N., Gachene, Charles K., Dittert, Klaus, Gitari, Harun I., Schulte-Geldermann, Elmar
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London Cogent 2021; Taylor & Francis Ltd; Taylor & Francis Group
• Subjects: agriculture; Crop yield; Farms; harvest index; Kenya; nitrogen; nutrient management; Nutrients; omission trial; phosphorus; potassium; potato response; Potatoes; regression analysis; Regression coefficients; soil; Soil testing; Stability analysis; Kenya
• ISSN: 2331-1932; 2331-1932
• DOI: 10.1080/23311932.2021.1898762

Low nutrients have been reported in potato-growing areas of Kenya, prompting a need for nutrient management research. A study was designed to determine the effect of omitting nutrients on potato growth, yield and harvest index. On-farm nutrient omission trials were set during the long rains (LR) and short rains (SR) of 2016 in which the treatments involve the judicious omission of N, P, K, S and B. Additional two treatments were included with one receiving all the nutrients and a control where no nutrients were added. The treatment was laid in a randomized complete block design with three replications. Potato yields reduced by 6.6 and 11.2 t ha −1 in N-omitted treatments in LR and SR, respectively, when compared to the one receiving all the nutrients, while omitting P resulted in respective yield reductions of 3.8 and 2.0 t ha −1 . Stability analysis revealed that omission of N was more stable with a regression coefficient of 0.5; it was followed by P with a value of 1. Potassium, S and B were limiting nutrients only in some farms. N and P should continue to be included in potato nutrient management, while K, S and B should be added based on soil test.