Daniela Marie Manabat RESEARCH

10-John
Effects of nitrogen fertilization on potato yields and
Soil nitrate Leaching
INTRODUCTION
Potato comes third behind rice and wheat as one of the most important food crops in the world consumption by
humans. According to reports, potato tubers are the underground swelling, starchy tubers of the potato plant and
are extremely popular as a staple diet for millions of people worldwide the globe. In every type of plant tissue
that is living tissue, nitrogen plays a vital role. There are no other factors that have such an impact on marketing
strong plant growth. Rich in protein has the tendency to make the leaves bigger, which leads to a rise in the
synthesis of carbohydrates. As stated by According to certain studies, the output of potatoes is limited by
several reasons, including One notable example is the improper application of nitrogen fertilizers.
Consequently, farmers grow potatoes for food in Rain-fed crop conditions. There isn't a comprehensive
recommendation for nitrogen fertilizers, though. Hence. The gold standard nitrogen fertilizer rates are not
disclosed. Fertilizer supply and rate for nitrogen Significant interactions were found in all vegetative
development parameters as measured by plant length, leaf number per plant, and leaf area. Plant weights when
clean and dry, plant area, and leaf chlorophyll content. The sum will rise as the nitrogen rate does full tuber
yield, marketable tuber yield, marketable whole tuber yield, and average tuber weight when the nitrogen utility
rate increases. The rising availability of marketable goods along with the Application of nitrogen is associated
with a decrease in the size of small-diameter tubers because it increases in the character tubers' weight.

Due to the rapid growth of potatoes, n fertility management is a crucial aspect of the potato farming reaction of
the potato (Solanum tuberosum L.). The low fertilizer use efficiency (Zebarth et al., 2004) and the low cost of
fertilizer relative to the value of any additional yield produced by high rates of fertility lead growers to add a lot
of fertilizer which may not be fully used by the crop. Overuse of N fertilizer might be harmful impact the tuber's
quality (e.g. specific gravity) and cause N to leach, which results in economic waste and the possibility of
adverse environmental effects. Strategies for managing nitrogen have been put forth to lessen the risk of NO3
Potato leaching production, including the use of controlled-release fertilizer products or organic farming,
divided fertilizer N application(Hopkins et al., 2008)., and However, due to the complexity of the leaching
process, there is no substitute for fertilizers. The NO3-leaching issue has a single, straightforward solution. For
medium-textured soils in Atlantic Canada under rain-fed production, split application of N fertilizer resulted in
the loss of tuber yield and reduction of N use efficiency only under dry soil conditions (Zebarth et al., 2004) but
the effect of split N application on NO3 - leaching has not yet been examined. There are no studies on the effect
of controlled-release fertilizer products on NO3 - leaching in the region. Previous studies have demonstrated the
usage of chicken manure in potato production, but especially on how it affects tuber output, quality, and soil
improvement. Characteristics of NO3 (Rees et al., 2011) Leaching's cause is yet unknown. This investigation
looked at how various fertilizer sources, application rates, and procedures affected 1-tubers quality and output,
and NO3 Leaching losses in Atlantic Canada's potato crop using rain-fed irrigation.

It has been indicated, potato tubers are the subterranean swollen, starchy tubers of the potato plant and are of
utmost importance as staple meals for thousands of tens of millions of human beings in the world (John, 2017)
[31] Apart from utilization as food, potatoes can be used in ethanol production, yield pulp for paper industry
and they may additionally supply uncooked material to the chemical industry (FAO, 2017) [16]. Potato is
viewed as a high-potential food security crop due to the fact of its ability to grant an excessive yield of
tremendous product per unit enter with a shorter crop cycle (mostly < a hundred and twenty days) than main
cereal plants like maize (Herpa, 2010) [25]. According to (John, 2017) [31], a record that at least six foremost
potato roles can be assigned to the potato tuber: as a hunger-relieving crop; as food, either fresh, processed, or
as animal food; as a propagule, from which to produce the next crop; as a rated stock in enterprise for starch and
alcohol; as an object of commerce. e; and as an aid of biodiversity. Potatoes are grown and eaten in more
countries than any other crop; they are grown in all the continents besides Antarctica. In the international
economy; they are the fourth most vital crop in complete production and the fourth biggest contributor to
human caloric consumption, after the three kinds of cereal, rice, wheat, and maize. Different pupils located out
that the most useful response to Nitrogen fertilizer application differs with the aid of cultivar and soil type.
Fertilizer application works satisfactorily supplied that soil test has been accomplished (Shadrack and Nyawade,
2018) [42]. Newly launched potato cultivars require additional revision to improve great administration pointers
for Nitrogen fertilization of potatoes and optimization of tuber yield and quality. Nitrogen is the mineral
nutrient most commonly poor in agricultural soils (Saeidi et al., 2009) [40]. Nitrogen is one of the principal
plant vitamins had been a great stage of grain and foliage production on soil depending on its enough supply.
Although nitrogen necessities of the crop are met through the addition of nitrogen fertilizer, it is an expensive
entry, and this mirror its low consumption in Ethiopia's highlands (Murine, 2007). According to one-of-a-kind,
literature reports the manufacturing of potatoes is constrained using exclusive factors, among these, the
insufficient utility of nitrogen fertilizers, is an outstanding one.
Review of Related Literature
Nitrogen is important in fuelling growth and providing high yields. It is largely needed during leaf formation
and then for tuber growth and yield, when it ensures optimal carbohydrate production in the leaves. Nitrogen
fed at an early stage of crop development will help build the overall size of the canopy. At later stages of
growth, nitrogen use helps maintain the greenness of the canopy and maximize yield. In temperate climates, an
excess supply of nitrogen at later stages of growth can cause exesive vine growth, preventing the crop from
reaching maturity. It may also reduce starch content, reducing processing potato crop quality. An excess supply
of nitrogen at later stages of growth may also reduce dry matter content, affecting quality.

Potato has an indeterminate increase sample and produces a fibrous device of adventitious root system, which
develops just above the nodes on underground portion the stem (Eremev et al., 2007). The potato tuber is an
enlarged swollen underground stem with variable shapes and sizes. The swelling of the tuber is due to the
translocation and storage of photosynthesis (carbohydrates), which retains its most with maturation of the aerial
element of the plant. Hence, tuber boom and improvement of potato in general depends on the presence of
ample foliage that produces the fundamental assimilates.

Nitrogen is the most limiting nutrient for crop production in many of the world's agricultural areas and its
efficient use is important for the economic sustainability of cropping systems. Furthermore, the dynamic nature
of N and its propensity for loss from soil‐plant systems creates a unique and challenging environment for its
efficient management. Crop response to applied N and use efficiency are important criteria for evaluating crop
N requirements for maximum economic yield. Recovery of N in crop plants is usually less than 50%
worldwide. Low recovery of N in annual crop is associated with its loss by volatilization, leaching, surface
runoff, denitrification, and plant canopy. Low recovery of N is not only responsible for higher cost of crop
production, but also for environmental pollution.

The potato is a herbaceous crop that requires both the vegetative and reproductive phases in about equal
amounts, according to (Solomon, 2005) [10]. The general vegetative development, which greatly influences
reproductive growth, is related to yield. Three physiological mechanisms that result in the production of the
yield components are known to play a role in the development of potato yield.

Increasing plant density resulted in higher tuber yield, dry weight of tuber and total dry matter yield.
Increasing nitrogen fertilizer rate 100 up to 150 kg/ha increased mean tuber weight and total dry matter yield.
Since, 100 and 150 kg/ha nitrogen had no significant difference to each other producing the highest tuber yield
and number of tuber, so in order to prevent environmental pollutions and excessive costs, utilization of 100
kg/ha nitrogen is recommended and any reduction in the planting density lower than 75×30 cm will lower both
total yield and % marketable yield.
Scientific Bases
A 2-year field trial with a randomized complete block design with four replications was conducted in
New Brunswick, Canada to evaluate N fertilization effects on potato tuber yields and quality as well as soil
nitrate leaching. Eight N fertilizer treatments were examined, including three N sources (i.e. conventional,
controlled-release and organic fertilizers) at two application rates (100 and 200 kg N ha), a split application of
conventional fertilizer at the high rate and a zero N fertilizer input as control. Application of N-fertilizer
significantly increased tuber yield (by 76% maximum) and quality over the unfertilized treatments whereas
differences between the two N fertilizer application rates were nonsignificant. Fertilizer use efficiency varied
from 16% to 56% over treatments and years. Low application rates resulted in lower seasonal soil and soil
solution NO3 concentrations than high application rates. The controlled-release and organic form of fertilizer
both reduced seasonal mean soil and soil solution N concentrations than conventional fertilizer, with low
leaching potential.
The experiment fields were planted around June 3 in each year with band application of the
conventional and CRF fertilizer treatments on each side (5 cm depth and 5 cm from row centre) of the potato
row. The organic fertilizer was manually banded at planting. All treatments received 150 kg ha-1 of P2O5 and
K2O, banded at planting using the planter. Hand-cut Russet Burbank seed pieces weighing approximately 49 g
were handplanted at 0.91 m between row spacing and 0.41 m in-row spacing. Weed control and pest
management followed standard methods for commercial rainfed potato production. On September 30, 2004 and
October 3, 2005, four adjacent plants from the two rows in the middle of each plot were harvested, and the plant
tissues were partitioned into tubers, vines, and stolons plus readily recoverable roots. Dry matter and N
accumulation in each plant component were determined as described by Zebarth and Milburn (2003). After vine
desiccation with diquat, the four central rows of each plot were harvested in early to mid October to determine
tuber yield following the standards described in previous studies (Xing et al., 2012). Tuber specific gravity was
determined using the Weight in air / Weight in water method (Zebarth et al., 2004). Soil temperatures at 10-20
cm soil depth and the soil moisture over 30 cm depth were monitored with an hourly average for each variable
computed and recorded. Air temperature and precipitation data were obtained from the Environment Canada
climate station located approximately 700 m away from the experimental field.
Potato is one of the most essential food vegetation worldwide, and ranks 0.33 after rice and wheat in
phrases of human consumption. It is has been indicated, potato tubers are the subterranean swollen, starchy
tubers of the potato plant and are of utmost importance as staple food for hundreds of millions of people in the
world. All of the body's living tissue depends on nitrogen for its essential role plant. No other elements have the
same impact on marketing thriving plant growth Protein in abundance seems to increase the measuring the
leaves appropriately, to communicate a increase the production of carbohydrates. Based on academic research,
potato production is constrained by using various elements, including the insufficient use offertilizers with
nitrogen are unique. Farmers therefore produce potato crop fed by rain for meals. Yet, there isn't a
comprehensive guidance on N fertilizers Consequently, information on the pricing for premium nitrogen
fertilizers. N fertilizer supply and rate drastically interacted in all vegetative increase characteristics as
expressed through plant length, leaf number/plant, leaf area/plant, leaf chlorophyll content, and plant sparkling
and dry weights. Nitrogen rate will increase the complete tuber number, marketable total number, total tuber
yield, marketable tuber yield and average tuber weight with growing nitrogen.
The growing in wide variety of marketable with increasing in application nitrogen is associated with limit in
the range of small measurement tubers due to increase in the weight of individual tubers.
Experimental
Table 1 shows that fertilizer sources had no significant effect on tuber yield or quality parameters. The
NO3- N and NH4-N concentrations in the soil with organic fertilizer (Env) were significantly lower than with
conventional mineral fertilizer (Con) and the differences between CRF and Env were non-significant. There
were no significant differences among fertilizer sources in soil solution NO3-N concentrations at 60 cm depth
but soil solution NO3-N concentration at 30 cm depth with Con was significantly greater than that with Env
whereas that with CRF was intermediate. While the tuber yields (both total and marketable tuber yields) were
significantly increased for both N fertilizer application rates over the unfertilized control, the differences
between the two fertilizer application rates were not significant. There was a trend of increased tuber sizes with
greater N fertilizer application rates. The proportion of small tubers decreased significantly with the increased N
application. For other tuber quality measures (percentages of hollow heart tubers, culls and scab tubers), no
significant effects of N fertilizer rate were observed. In contrast, for all measurements of N in soil and soil
solution, significant differences were found among all three levels of application rates with only one exception
(surface layer soil NH4-N with the application rate of 100 kg N ha-1 ). These results suggest that increasing the
N fertilizer application rate from 100 to 200 kg N ha-1 had limited positive effects on potato yield and quality
but could significantly increase the N concentrations of the soil and soil solution and therefore, potentially pose
threats to the environment.

Conclusion
Fertilizer application rates have varying effects on the soil solution NO3-N leaching potential, dependent
upon the fertilizer source and year. The high N application rate treatments resulted in greater soil solution NO3-
N concentration by at least 23% than their corresponding low rate treatments at 30 cm soil depths in 2004.
However, in 2005, this type of trend was only observed in Con source treatment while both CRF and Env types
showed either reduced or equal soil solution NO3-N concentrations for high fertilizer application rate than for
low fertilizer application rate. This complexity may be related to the interactions among fertilizer source, soil
characteristic and weather conditions. In particular, the release of N from CRF and Env is highly related to soil
temperature and the soil water condition (Hopkins et al., 2008). Apparently, when the treatment effect is
relatively marginal, the variation resulted from different weather conditions among the two test years may have
canceled out the effects of the CRF and Env type treatments. The application of fertilizer added beyond 100 kg
N ha-1 may only increase the risk of the NO3 - leaching potential of the Con type treatment. Considering a NO3
- leaching rate of 5-33 kg N ha-1 reported by Milburn et al. (1990) in the same potato field treated with fertilizer
rates of 120-150 kg N ha-1 , this study suggest that the optimal N fertilizer application rate is probably between
100 and 150 kg N ha-1 assuming the soil has good N supply capability. In high value crop like potatoes, the end
result of excessive application of N is no yield gain, but a potential reduction in processing quality, increased
costs and potential damage to the environment in the form of leaching potential. This study suggests increasing
from 100 kg N ha-1 to a full rate of conventional fertilization application (200 kg N ha-1 ) did not significantly
increase tuber yield or improve tuber quality but had significant effects on N concentrations in soil and soil
solutions sometimes, increasing their potential for N leaching. Controlled-release and organic fertilizer
formulation both resulted in lower soil and soil solution N concentrations than conventional fertilizer, therefore
are potentially better for environments. An N application rate between 100 – 150 kg ha-1 was proposed for the
site which already had high amount of soil N supply.
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