Crescimento, qualidade de tubérculos e relação N/K da cultura da batata cultivada sob doses elevadas de potássio

Abstract

The goal of this work was to quantify growth, yield and tuber quality under high potassium availability and to adjust a relationship between the maximum K and the N critical dilution curves during the crop growth cycle, to be used for nutrient diagnosis and fertilization of the potato crop. The experiment was carried out in a 200m2 polyethylene greenhouse at the crop science Department de Fitotecnia, UFSM, from August 28 to November 30, 2005. Polyethylene bags were used containing 4dm3 of organic substrate (Plantmax ®) whit one tuber/bag. The P, K, Ca and Mg availabilities were 95; 1,506; 7,831 and 2,948mg kg-1, respectively. Plants were daily fertigated with nutrient solutions containing supplementary K doses of 3.5; 5.5; 6.5; 8.0 and 9.5mmol L-1. Total amounts of potassium available in each bag during the experimental period was 912.3; 1,433.7; 1,694.3; 2,085.3 e 2,476.3mg per plant, respectively. Four bags with plants of each treatment were harvested weekly to quantify growth, yield, chip quality and to determine N and K tissue concentration. The leaf area increased linearly with K availability. There was no effect on tuber number, dry mass, yield and chip quality. It was concluded that high K fertilization rates do not affect tuber yield and potato chip quality. The maximum K dilution curve was %K = 5.54DM-0.317, where DM is dry matter accumulation at any time during the growing cycle. The maximum K uptake can be estimated by the equation Kg ha-1 of K = 55.4DM0.683. The relationship %Km = 1.137%Nc + 1.35 can be used to estimate maximum K (Km) from critical N (Nc) concentrations. These equations allow estimations of N and K fertilization rates assuming targeted yield levels and delivering it to supply the crop nutrient demand at any time during the growth and development cycle.