Synergistic effects of boron and zinc foliar applications on growth and post-harvest storage attributes of potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) cultivar Argana

The current investigation considers the synergistic effects of boron (B) and zinc (Zn) on tuber development, tuber quality, and nutrient status prior to and after storage periods. The introduction of B (50 and 100 mg l⁻¹) and Zn (500 and 1000 mg l⁻¹) levels, applied separately and in combination, examined their effect on growth attributes, tuber yield, firmness, storage quality and nutrient levels. The combination of B (100 mg l⁻¹) and Zn (1000 mg l⁻¹) produced the greatest increase in plant height (33.5%), number of aboveground stems (112.6%), leaf area (60.3%), and tuber yield (128.7%), which was more than each treatment alone and a statistically significant number. In addition, this combination caused minimal weight loss, increased tuber firmness, and lower total soluble solids (TSS) accumulation by the storage period maintained tuber quality. Importantly, the double micronutrient combination increased dry matter by 18% and specific gravity (unless noted before storage 1.14; after storage 1.68), which suggests an opportunity to improve tuber density (quality). Additionally, total starch content also significantly increased by 57.7% after storage. The combined application of B and Zn had a marked positive effect on total tuber B content before and after storage. The results indicate that the application of B and Zn played a beneficial role in tuber nutritional and physiological quality, resulting in improvement in tuber storability, quality, overall health benefits from starch production to yield increase in potato production.