Response of Potatoes to Nitrogen Form and to Change in Nitrogen Form at Tuber Initiation
Open Access
- 1 January 1986
- journal article
- Published by American Society for Horticultural Science in Journal of the American Society for Horticultural Science
- Vol. 111 (1) , 70-72
- https://doi.org/10.21273/jashs.111.1.70
Abstract
A controlled environment study was conducted to determine if ‘Russet Burbank’ potatoes (Solanum tuberosum L.) were more tolerant of NH4-N as established plants than as young plants. When grown on one N source for 86 days, root and shoot growth were best with NO3-N, intermediate with NH4 + NO3, and least with NH4-N. Changing the N source from NO3-N or NH4 + NO3 to NH4-N at tuber initiation (58 days after planting) reduced both shoot and root growth. Conversely, changing the N source from NH4-N to NH4 + NO3 improved growth. The highest tuber weights were obtained with continuous NH4 + NO3 or when NH4-N was applied at tuber initiation to plants previously grown on NO3-N alone. Nitrogen source also influenced absorption of other nutrients. Changing the N source once plants were established, however, did not have a consistent effect on mineral composition. We conclude that when NH4-N is the sole form of N available to the plant, it is detrimental to potato growth regardless of stage of development.Keywords
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