Evaluación del efecto de fertilización con dos fuentes de calcio en el rendimiento de la papa (Solanum tuberosum)

Abstract

The potato (Solanum tuberosum) is the fourth largest food crop worldwide and in Ecuador it is considered one of the main foods for families in the Ecuadorian Sierra area. The objective of this research was to evaluate the effect of fertilization with two sources of calcium on the yield of the Super Chola variety potato. In the experiment, two sources of calcium (Calcium Nitrate and Calcium Sulfate) and their effect on plant height, fresh and dry weight of tubers, yield and calcium content in the peel of potato tubers were evaluated. Plant height was measured at 30, 60, 90 and 120 days after sowing, while the rest of the variables were evaluated at the time of harvest. At 30 and 90 days after, the highest height was reached by potato plants fertilized with calcium nitrate, followed by plants treated with calcium sulfate. Regarding the weight of the tubers, no significant differences were observed due to the effect of the calcium source applied, but the plants treated with calcium nitrate produced tubers with a higher fresh weight (86.7 g), followed by those obtained from plants treated with sulfate. of calcium (77.8 g). Although the yield of the Super Chola variety potato plants was not significantly affected by the calcium source used, both sources caused greater yield when compared to the control treatment plants. The calcium content in the peel of potato tubers varied with the treatment, being higher in tubers obtained from plants treated with calcium nitrate and sulfate, reaching values of 0.201 and 0.197%, respectively. The yield and calcium content were improved by the use of calcium as sources of additional fertilization to NPK-based fertilizers, which is why its inclusion in fertilization programs is recommended.