The Effect of Different Concentrations of Potassium and Copper Foliar Application on Grown and Yield of Potato

This study has been conducted at the city of Diwaniah located 180 km south of Baghdad to examine the effect of potassium and copper floral application on the growth and yield of potato plants (var.Burren) during the 2015 spring season. Factorial experiment has been carried out in Random Complete Block Design (RCBD) with three replications and Nine treatments have been used which have three potassium concentrations at 0, 3000, and 6000 mg KL-1 designated respectively and three copper concentrations at 0, 2.5, and 5 mg CuL-1 designated respectively in addition to their interactions. The treatments are applied at three different timeframes which are 45 days after sowing, 15 days after the first spraying, and 15 days after the second spraying. Vegetative growth have been collected at the maturation stage then dried to obtain dry weight and N, P, K, and Cu have been estimated in plant leaves. Tubers are harvested to measure number and yield/plant, tubers average weight, total marketing yield and yield. The obtained data are statistically analyzed and averages are compared according to the least significant differences (LSD) at 5% level of significance and the results were as follows: The yield components which include tubers number as compared with the control treatment. Copper foliar application significantly increase vegetative traits of the yield. The K2 treatment has given the highest significant increase of main stem vegetative growth of the components which include tubers number as compared with the control treatment. The interaction treatments have given a significant result in terms of the both the vegetative and yield traits where K2* Cu2 give the most significant increase in term of vegetative growth while K2* Cu1 significantly increase the plant height and K1* Cu2 significantly affect the number of leaves. As for the yield component, K2*Cu2 show to have the most significant result in all traits under investigation. Finally, in terms of affecting leaf content of N, P, K, both treatments and their interactions especially K2*Cu2 have a significant impact as compared with the control treatment where the highest the concentration is the highest the impact will be..