EFFECTS OF PLANTING SPROUT CUTTINGS FOR THE CONTROL OF POTATO (SOLANUM TUBEROSUM (L.) SCHOTT) DISEASES IN PLATEAU STATE

Abstract

Field experiment was carried out during raining season in June – August, 2017 to investigate the effects of planting sprout cuttings for the control of potato (Solanum tuberosum) diseases at the Potato Programme of National Root Crops Research Institute, Kuru, Plateau State, Nigeria. Three standard potato cultivars (Roslin-Ruaka, Bertita and Nicola) and three treatments (Healthy tubers, healthy sprouts and diseased sprouts) from the tubers were cut into single buds and planted in an open field in 81 polythene pots using Randomized Complete Block Design replicated thrice. Growth parameters were carried out forth nightly. The result revealed that the treatments differed significantly for the yield parameters studied. The healthy tubers produced more numbers of tubers (271) than the healthy sprouts (199), while the diseased sprout cuttings had the least number of tubers formed (150). There were significant differences among the number of tubers produced by the healthy sprouts, healthy tubers and diseased sprouts. The marketable tubers of the healthy sprouts showed highest mean number of wares (48) followed by the diseased sprouts (40), while the healthy tubers had the least mean number of wares. The healthy sprouts produced highest mean seed tubers (221) than that of the diseased sprouts (164), while the healthy tubers had least number of seeds (119). The mean plant stand count varied significantly between the varieties (P

<0.05) with Roslin-Ruaka having the highest mean plant stand count at harvest (28.6) followed by Bertita (23.8), while Nicola had the least (19.9).>