Tuber yield components of potato (Solanum tuberosum l.) as influenced by earthing up and inflorescence removal

Inappropriate agronomic practices, such as earthing up and inflorescence removal, are responsible for the great discrepancy between the potential and achievable yields of potatoes in Ethiopia. To assess the effects of the combination on the tuber yield and yield components of potato, a factorial combination of four earthing up rounds (without, one, two, and three rounds) and three inflorescence removal levels (without removal, bud removal, and flower removal) was used in a randomized complete block design with three replications. The number of marketable, unmarketable and total tubers per hill; and the marketable, unmarketable, and total tuber yields significantly differed in terms of the combined effects of factors. The maximum marketable tuber number (10.07 count/hill), the maximum total tuber number (13.17 count/hill), the marketable tuber yield (31.49 t/ha), and the total tuber yield (33.08 t/ha) were associated with bud removal combined with three rounds of earthing up. Thus, this combination of treatments can be advised for potato production.