Evaluation of the Effect of Flower Removal and Size of Mini-Tuber on the Yield and Yield Components of Agria Potato Cultivar by Using Two Methods of Planting

In order to evaluate the effect of flower removal and sized of mini-tuber size on the yield and yield components of Agria potato cultivar by using two methods of planting, a factorial experiment based complete randomized blocks design with three replication was conducted in Ardabil, Iran. Factors consisted of as two planting methods (planting mini-tuber planting in the furrow and on the ridge). B: four mini-tuber seedling sizes (5, 15, 25 and 35 mm in diameter) and C: (flowers were intact or removed. During the growing period and after harvesting the attributes measured were main stem number per plant, plant height, tuber number per plant, tuber weight per plant, marketable tuber yield and total tuber yield. The result of variance analysis showed that there were significant differences between planting methods and treatments of flower concerning yield. The results indicated mini-tuber seedling sizes at 15, 25, and 35 mm in both planting methods resulted in higher yield. The planting in furrow yieled better as compared to ridge planting. There was significant difference between flower removal as compared to that of intact ones. The linear correlation showed significant and positive relationship between total tuber yield with plant height, tuber number per plant, tuber weight per plant and marketable tuber yield. According to the results, the mini-tuber size by 15 and 25 mm and planting in furrow and flower removal produced highest number of tubers and tuber weight per plant, marketable tuber yield and total tuber yield.