Effect of Different Sowing Dates and Varieties on Yield, Size and Number of Tubers of Potato (Solanum tuberosum L.)

An experiment was conducted for determination of most suitable planting dates for cultivation of potato during Rabi season of 2011-12 and 2012-13 at Main Experiment Station, Department of Vegetable Science, Narendra Deva University of Agriculture and Technology, Kumarganj, Faizabad (U.P.). Five planting dates (17 October, 27 October, 7 November, 17 November and 27 November) and four varieties (Kufri Ashoka, Kufri Pushkar, Kufri Bahar and Kufri Arun) were arranged in Randomized Block Design with factorial concept, replicated four. Total tuber yield (q ha-1), total number of tubers plant-1, total number and weight of “A” grade (>75g), “B” grade (50-75g), “C” grade (25-50g) and “D” grade (0-25g) tubers plant-1. The result revealed that planting on 17 November produced maximum tuber yield i.e. 391.59 quintal and 404.59 quintal per hectare during 2011-12 and 2012-13, respectively. However, the minimum total tuber yield i.e. 282.61 q ha-1 and 291.74 q ha-1 was recorded when planted on 27 November during both the years of investigation. Among the varieties the maximum total tuber yield was obtained i.e. 376.33 quintal hectare-1 in variety Arun followed by Kufri Pushkar. However the variety Kufri Ashoka and Kufri Bahar found to be at par during 2011-12 and 2012-13, respectively.