Optimization of Minituber Size and Planting Distance for the Breeder Seed Production of Potato

Abstract

Six grades of potato minitubers (<5 mm, 5-10 mm, 10-15 mm, 15-20 mm, 20-25 mm and > 25 mm) and four planting distance (25 cm, 20 cm, 15 cm and 10 cm) with a potato variety Diamant were taken in an study during 2013-14 at the Tuber Crops Research Centre of Bangladesh Agricultural Research Institute, Gazipur, Bangladesh. The objective was to observe the effect of minituber grades and planting distance on growth, seed yield, increase ratio and seed potential of potato. The largest minitubers (>25 mm) planted at widest distance (25 cm) produced maximum number of tubers per plant (18.7). The highest number of tubers per m2 (306.7) was obtained with largest minitubers (>25 mm) planted at the closest plant spacing 10 cm, while it was lowest (64.0) in smallest size minituber (<5 mm) with the widest distance 25 cm. A significant increase ratio was found ranged from 14 (largest minituber with the closest planting distance) to 297 (smallest minituber with widest planting distance). The maximum percentage (53%) of ‘A grade’ seed (28-55mm size) was obtained from the pea size (5-10 mm) minituber size planted at 15 cm distance. The highest seed potential (39.8) was in >25 mm size minituber planted at 10 cm distance. The lowest (4.4) was in <5 mm size minituber when planted at 25 cm distance. Seed sizes increasing from <5 mm to >25 mm had significant increase ratio ranged from 12 to 269. The highest economic return (9.4) would occur for the pea size (5-10 mm) minituber when planted at 15 cm spacing.