RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN CHEMICAL AND PHYSICAL PROPERTIES OF SOILS AND NUTRIENT STATUS OF PLANTS ON YIELD OF POTATO

The relationships among nutrient levels in the soil, plant tissue, and tuber with yield of potato were investigated by multiple regression analysis. The concentration levels of selected macronutrients (N, P, and K) and trace metals (Fe, Mn, Cu, and Zn), of 140 samples were analyzed in this study. Mineral nutrient concentrations were determined in leaves, tubers of potato and soil samples collected. The nutrient concentrations in the samples were found at different levels. In leaves, the nutrient concentration levels ranged from 4.25 to 6.28 % for N, 0.10 to 0.42% for P, 1.00 to 5.58% for K, 103.0 to 329.4 mg kg(-1) for Fe, 92.3 to 637.8 mg kg(-1) for Mn, 7.7 to 70.8 mg kg(-1) for Cu and 19.4 to 69.9 mg kg(-1) for Zn. In tuber, the nutrient concentration levels ranged from 1.31 to 2.27 % for N, 0.03 to 0.28% for P, 1.14 to 3.54% for K, 14.5 to 49.1 mg kg(-1) for Fe, 0.7 to 8.3 mg kg(-1) for Mn, 2.6 to 9.1 mg kg(-1) for Cu and 12.0 to 22.7 mg kg(-1) for Zn. Results indicated that three parameters of this regression model were statistically significant (P<0.05) and the R-2 was 0.522. Plant tissue concentrations of N and Mn were significantly correlated with variations on yield of potato. These results prove that especially N and Mn are important in the nutrition of potatoes.