Foliar application of seaweed extract in potato culture

Abstract

In the present work, the objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of foliar application of Ascophyllum nodosum extract on growth and yield of potato crop. The experiment was conducted inside a commercial potato planting area in the municipality of Itapetininga-SP. The variety Asterix was used in a randomized block design with five treatments and five replicates. The treatments consisted of five doses of seaweed extract Ascophyllun nodosum, 0; 0.5; 1; 2; and 4 L ha(-1), applied to the plants via leaf. During the cycle, the following variables were evaluated: Plant height; Number of stems per plant; intensity of coloration leaf green (ICV); Concentration of nutrients in the leaves and leaf area of the fourth leaf. At the end, the number of tubers per plant was quantified, the total and commercial productivity of the potatoes. Solutions containing algae extract promoted higher plant growth. The solution containing 4 L ha(-1) of seaweed extract provided the production of tubers of larger diameter and higher productivity.