RESPONSE OF POTATO GROWN ON CLAY LOAM SOIL TO SULFUR AND COMPOST APPLICATION

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

1 Soil Dept., Fac, of Agrlc., Mansoura Unlv., Egypt.

2 Soli, Water and Environment Res. lnst, A. R. C., Giza, Egypt.

Abstract

Two field experiments were conducted on clay loam soil at Battera village.
Talkha district. Dakahlia Governorate. Egypt. during the two successive growing
seasons of summer 2003 and winter 2003/2004 to study the effect of tow sources of
sulfur application rates (0. 150kg S fed" as elemental sulfur 99.5%S and as gypsum
16.60% S) under rice straw compost application (0, 6, 12 ton fed") on potatoes
(Solanum tuberosum, L.) cultivar Spunta and some soil properties. The experimental
design was a split plot design with three replicates.
The obtained results showed that

Addition of sulfur (S) and Compost (C) and their interactions significantly increased
plant heighl (em), leaf area (m2 plant"), total chlorophyll and fresh and dry tuber
yield (I fed") both seasons.
Soil physical properties were markedly affected with both of sulfur and compost
applications whereas, bulk density decreased and increased total porosity %.
Saturation percentage increased significantly with compost but it was not affected
by sulfur application.

Application of sulfur and compost significantly increased available (NH:-N. N03'-
N), P and K as compared with control in bolh seasons.



Finally, from the present study we can recommended that application of 150 kg
S fed" as element + 12 ton compost fed" of rice straw with the constant background
of recommended doses of (NPK) for improving the production of potato under similar
experimental conditions.