Nitrogen and potassium synergism influences the yield and quality of Dioscorea cayennensis

• Autor(a) principal: Silva,O. P. R.
• Data de Publicação: 2022
• Outros Autores: Oliveira,A. P., Cruz,J. M. F. L., Silva,L. D. R., Sousa,V. F. O., Farias,O. R., Nunes,J. C., Nascimento,I. R. S., Martins,J. V. S.
• Tipo de documento: Artigo
• Idioma: eng
• Título da fonte: Brazilian Journal of Biology
• Texto Completo: http://old.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S1519-69842022000100742
• topic: mineral nutrition; nematodes; tuber quality; yam

Abstract This study aimed to evaluate yield, quality, nematode incidence, chlorophyll content, and primary foliar macronutrients of yam in response to nitrogen and potassium fertilization. A complete randomized block design was used in a factorial scheme (5 x 5), with five nitrogen (0; 60; 120; 180 and 240 kg ha-1 of N) and five potassium doses (0; 60; 120; 180 and 240 kg ha-1 of K2O), with four replicates. The mass, total and commercial productivity of tubers, starch content, ash, leaf N, P, and K content, chlorophyll, and nematode incidence were evaluated. The average mass of tubers obtained was 1.935 kg with doses of 133 kg ha-1 of N and 105 kg ha-1 of K2O. The dose of 178 kg ha-1 of N promoted maximum total tuber productivity (22.56 t ha-1). The doses of 132 kg ha-1 of N and 118 kg ha-1 of K2O resulted in maximum productivity of commercial tubers with 20.35 t ha-1. Leaf N and K, starch, and ash contents were within the standards for yam. The incidence of Meloidogyne, Scutellonema, and Pratylenchus reduced with the increasing simple effect doses of N and K2O. The maximum chlorophyll content was obtained at the dose of 240 kg ha-1 of N. The nitrogen and potassium interaction, despite the antagonistic effects on the accumulation of foliar P and starch, increased the productivity and average mass of commercial tubers, consequently ensuring the profitability of yam cultivation.