Organomineral fertilizers potentiate Atlantic potato cultivation

Abstract

Analyses of potential sources and products that aim to balance nutrients in soil and plants; improve physical, mineral, and biological attributes of soil; and reduce environmental impacts require greater attention. Therefore, the aim of this study was to evaluate the agronomic efficiency of organomineral fertilizers (OMF) in Atlantic potato cultivar. The experimental design was a randomized complete block design (RCBD), with four treatments and six replicates. The treatments consisted of NPK mineral fertilizers (recommended according to soil analysis and nutritional crop requirements), as control, and NPK plus OMF according to composition and form of application (planting, ridging, and leaf), referred to as managements A and B, which indicate the amount of nutrients that the plants received. Therefore, treatments with OMF were designated as: P-OMF(A): organomineral fertilizer management (A) applied via planting furrow; PR-OMF(B): organomineral fertilizer management (B) applied via planting and ridging, and PR-OMF(B) + L-OMF(B): organomineral fertilizer management (B) applied via planting, ridging, and leaf application. The applications of P-OMF(A) and PR-OMF(B) + L-OMF(B) resulted in positive effects on Special Class production and total productivity of Atlantic potato tubers, which increase were between 12% and 16% and 11% to 15.5%, respectively. The application of PR-OMF(B) + L-OMF(B) improved their soluble solid content by 2.7% compared to the control (absence of OMF application). Therefore, organomineral fertilizers have the potential for improving the quantitative and qualitative attributes of potatoes.