Abstract:
Globally, it has been understood that there is a significant contribution of potato both as food
security as well as a source of income. Soil fertility is one of the limiting factors that affect
potato production. Therefore, the aim of this study was to determine the effect of inorganic and
organic fertilizers on potato growth and yield under irrigated condition. The Woflek peasant
participants were selected using purposive sampling techniques to get relevant information and
a plot for the experiment in a randomized complete block experimental design with eight
treatments replicated three times within the farm. A potato seed/tuber variety ‘’Jalene cultivar’’
was grown. The data were collected through field observations, questionnaires and field
experiments. A field experiment was carried out on growth and yield components of potato by
identifying the soil physio-chemical characteristics. Soil analysis results before planting
revealed that the experimental soil contained organic carbon (1.14%), available phosphorus (3.6
ppm), total nitrogen (0.112%), potassium (1.16 cmol (+) kg soil), electrical conductivity (0.053
Ms/cm) and pH (7.54) with clay in texture. The experimental results show that maximum values
of shoot length (64.9 cm/plant), stem diameter (5.7cm/plant), number of branches (13.0/plant),
number of leaves (40.5/plant), fresh tuber weight (904.5g/plant), shoot fresh weight (201.3
g/plant), number of tubers (13.7/plant) and marketable tuber yield (36.9 t/ha) were recorded
from the combined application of inorganic and organic fertilizers (compost) at a rate of
18.9g/m2
of Urea, 16.2g/m2
of NPSB and 720g/m2
of compost. However, the minimum value of
shoot length (44.8 cm/plant), stem diameter (4.5 cm/plant), number of branches (3.9/plant),
number of leaves (16.4/plant), fresh tuber weight (305 g/plant), shoot fresh weight (124.0
g/plant), number of tubers (9.8/plant) and marketable tuber yield (9.1 t/ha) were recorded from
the control treatment. This study indicated that the combined use of inorganic and organic
fertilizers can significantly increase the potato growth and yield. Therefore, it can be
recommended that the soil requires the mixed use of inorganic and organic fertilizers for the
potato growth and yield in the study area. Therefore, the Wolflek local community should use the
integrated fertilizers.
