EFFECT OF ORGANIC MANURES ON YIELD AND YIELD ATTRIBUTING CHARACTERS OF POTATO

1Central Potato Research Institute, Shimla-171 001, HP, India. Email: venkat_ep@yahoo.co.in Potato is undoubtedly one of the most important crop, high yields require both organic and mineral fertilization. Nutrients in organic forms significantly affect potato plant growth, development and yield (Plaza, 2004). The use of organic amendments such as traditional thermophilic composts has long been recognized as an effective means of improving soil structure, enhancing soil fertility, increasing microbial diversity and populations (Barakan et al., 1995), microbial activity (Zink and Allen, 1998), improving the moisture-holding capacity of soils and increasing crop yields. Vermicomposts are finely-divided mature peat-like materials with a high porosity, aeration, drainage, water-holding capacity and microbial activity which are stabilized by interactions between earthworms and microorganisms in a non-thermophilic process (Edwards and Burrows, 1988). Vermicomposts is a rich source of nutrients, vitamins, enzymes, antibiotics, plant growth regulators and other plant growth-influencing materials produced by microorganisms (Shambhavi and Sharma, 2011). Though the number of buds, rate of multiplication and yield potential are mainly controlled by genetic traits but potato cultivars placed for seed purpose should show potential for producing maximum number of tubers per plant which can be enhanced by different agronomic interventions. So, a study was conducted with FYM and vermicompost to compare their effect on potato seed production.