Effect of plant density and varieties on seed size potato tuber production and fresh tuber yield

Farmers in Munshiganj region are using different spacing below or above the national recommendation depending on the purpose of planting either for seed tuber or consumption due to lack of recommended plant spacing. Therefore, an experiment was conducted at the Tuber Crops Research Sub-Centre (TCRSC), Bangladesh Agricultural Research Institute (BARI), Munshiganj during 2023-24 with four types of spacing like S1=75cm x 30cm, S2=60 cm x 25cm (Control), S3=50cm x 20cm and S4=30cm x 15cm under four varieties viz. V1=BARI Alu-25, V2=BARI Alu-37, V3=BARI Alu-62 and V4=BARI Alu-79 with a view to find out suitable spacing for seed size potato tuber (28-40mm) production and fresh tuber yield in Munshiganj region. Results showed that the maximum (61.96%) seed size (28-40mm) potato tuber (% number) was produced by treatment combination V1S4 which was statistically at par V1S3 and statistically similar with V3S4, V4S3, V3S3 etc. Closer spacing is more suitable for seed size potato tuber production than wider spacing. In case yield, the maximum tuber yield (35.27 t/ha) was obtained from treatment combination V4S4 which was statistically similar to V3S4, V1S4, .V1S3 etc. Therefore, considering the seed size potato tuber production, final yield and yield contributing characters sowing of potato BARI Alu-25, BARI Alu-37, BARI Alu-62, BARI Alu-79 with closer spacing (30cm x 15cm) may be practiced to cultivate seed size potato tuber in our country.