Zinc Application Enhances Tuber Quality and Zinc Bioavailability in Potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) in the Tarai Region of Uttarakhand

As evident from plant and soil investigations, 49 per cent of Indian soils are deficient in zinc. This could affect the production and quality of potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) as the crop is moderately sensitive to zinc deficiency. Zinc is considered to be the most important micronutrient for potato and its reduced availability in the plant is the major constraint to obtaining good tuber quality. However, repeated practice of rice-wheat cropping system in the tarai region of Uttarakhand has led to zinc deficiency in the soil, and thereby, its availability in the tubers. Therefore, the present investigation was undertaken at the Vegetable Research Centre of Govind Ballabh Pant University of Agriculture and Technology, Pantnagar (Uttarakhand) during the rabi season of 2021-22 with the objective to enhance the quality of potato tubers, and at the same time, increase the bioavailability of zinc in the tubers. The experiment was laid out in a randomised complete block design with twelve treatments and four replications. The results of the experiment revealed that foliar application of ZnSO4 @ 2 g L-1 at 25 and 50 days after planting recorded the highest dry matter content (20.73%), specific gravity (1.07 g cm-3) and starch content (17.10%) in the tubers. The zinc content in tubers (47.58 ppm) and zinc uptake by tubers (2.85 kg ha-1) were also found to be maximum in the same treatment combination. Hence, the same treatment combination can be recommended for getting better quality of potato tubers as well as increasing zinc bioavailability in potato under the tarai region of Uttarakhand.