Possibility of increasing micronutrient contents in potato tubers with foliar application of titanium

Abstract

This paper analyses the effect of titanium foliar application on the Fe, Zn, Mn and Ti content in early crop potato tubers. The titanium source was the plant growth stimulant Tytanit® (8.5 g Ti per litre). Tytanit® was applied once at the leaf development stage (BBCH 14-16) or at the tuber formation stage (BBCH 41-43) and twice at the leaf development and tuber formation stages, at the dose of 0.2 L ha-1 or 0.4 L ha-1 in each treatment. Potatoes were harvested 75 days after planting (the end of June). Following Tytanit® application, the content of Fe was higher by 6.150 mg kg-1 and Mn by 0.409 mg kg-1 of dry matter. Titanium foliar application did not affect the content of Zn, whereas the content of Ti was higher by 0.364 mg kg-1 of dry matter. The dose and date of Tytanit® application slightly affected the content of Fe. The content of Mn was greatest with a single Tytanit® application at the tuber formation stage at the dose of 0.2 L ha-1, whereas the Ti content was greatest with a double Tytanit® application, at the leaf development and tuber formation stages, at the dose of 0.2 L ha-1.