Growth and Yield Response of Potato Accessions to Application of Organic-based Fertilizers under Organic Production System in La Trinidad, Benguet

Abstract

The study was conducted at the BSU Experimental Station, La Trinidad, Benguet to: evaluate potato accessions applied with different organic-based fertilizers under organic production system; determine the effect of organic-based fertilizer on the growth and yield of different potato accessions under organic production system; determine the interaction effect of organic-based fertilizers and potato accessions under organic production system; and determine the profitability of the potato accessions applied with organic-based fertilizers. Potato accessions 304416 and 303223 significantly out yielded the other potato accessions and were resistant to late blight infection, had high vigor, had wide canopy cover, and produced high marketable yield. These accessions also obtained high return on cash expense. Plants applied with Siglat significantly outperformed the plants with no fertilizer and those applied with Induyan compost in terms of plant vigor, canopy cover, and marketable yield. However, higher return on cash expenses was obtained from plants not applied with fertilizer. Significant interaction effects of potato accessions and organic-based fertilizers were noted on the canopy cover at 30 and 60 DAP, and on the total yield of potato plants. Plants applied with Siglat had wider canopies and produced higher total yield.