Influence of Nitrogen Doses on Shelf Life of Different Potato (Solanum tuberosum L) Cultivars

Shelf life of potato is highly variable depending upon various factors including nitrogen application and storage conditions. The perishable nature of potato tubers necessitates the study of factors affecting tuber post- harvest life. Objectives of this experiment were to study the influence of nitrogen doses on storage parameters of different potato varieties, viz., physiological loss in weight, decay loss and sprouting. The treatments consisted of four doses of nitrogen (control, 80, 160, and 240 kg ha-1) and three potato cultivars viz., Kufri Pukhraj, Kufri Gaurav and AICRP-P-39. After harvesting potatoes from the field, the tubers were cleaned and stored using a complete randomized design (CRD) and three replications, in a well-ventilated room for three months to assess their shelf life. The field application of 240 kg nitrogen per hectare resulted in the poor shelf life of tubers as compared to the ones grown under lower doses. However, the superior shelf life of potato tubers was observed under control during the whole storage period. Among the cultivars, Kufri Pukhraj had better storage quality than Kufri Gaurav and AICRP-P-39. Thus, to obtain maximum shelf life of potato tubers, the variety Kufri Pukhraj with no application of nitrogen is advisable.