Effect of foliar spraying with ascorbic acid and nano-silicon on the quantitative and qualitative yield of the potato cultivar Burren grown in southern Iraq

The study was conducted at the Agricultural Research Station of the College of Agriculture, University of Basrah, in Karma Ali area during the agricultural season 2022-2023 to study the effect of foliar spraying with different concentrations of ascorbic acid (0,50,100) mg L-1 and with different concentrations of nano silicon (0,37.5,75) mg L-1 and the interaction between them on the quantitative and qualitative yield of the Burren potato cultivar. The results showed that spraying with ascorbic acid at a concentration of 100 mg L-1 was significantly excelled in increasing the total yield and marketable yield, reducing the non-marketable yield, increasing the percentage of dry matter, starch, and specific gravity of tubers, and both concentrations were significantly excelled in increasing the tubers' vitamin C content. Also, plants sprayed with nano-silicon were significantly excelled at a concentration of 75 mg L-1 in increasing the total yield and marketable yield, the percentage of dry matter, starch, and specific gravity, and the tubers' vitamin C content, and both concentrations were significantly excelled in the percentage of total soluble solids. The interaction between the two study factors showed a significant effect on all quantitative and qualitative yield traits studied.