THE EFFECT OF FOLIAR FERTILIZATION WITH A NEW LIQUID COMPLEX FERTILIZER ON THE YIELD AND QUALITY OF POTATOES

The results of a field experiment with foliar fertilization of potatoes of the Udacha variety for 2023-2025 on sod-podzolic sandy loam soil (Moscow region) are presented. In the conditions of the average drought of 2023-2024 and the wet year of 2025, a high efficiency of the use of a new domestic complex mineral fertilizer Chudozem Nitrogen-Potassium + Magnesium (9,0% of total nitrogen, 8,5% of K2O, 10±1 g/l of MgO and 1,0±0,2 g/l of humic acids) for foliar fertilization of potato plants has been established: the 1st - in the budding phase, the 2nd - after flowering, in three doses: 1,5 l/ha, 2,0 and 2,5 l/ha. High increases in crop yield – 4,2-6,5 t/ha (14,5-22,4%) relative to the mineral background (29,0 t/ha), with an increase in marketability by 4% and product quality. Foliar spraying with the agrochemical Chudozem Azot-Potassium + Magnesium in doses of 1,5, 2,0 and 2,5 l/ha (twice per season) contributed to the acceleration of the formation of a marketable crop and the ripening of tubers. In the 4th and 5th variants [Background + 2-fold spraying of 2,0 l/ha and 2,5 l/ha of Chudozem Azot-Potassium + Magnesium], the optimal yield structure for food purposes was formed: the share of the coarse fraction was 16,1-16,7%, the medium fraction – 80,7-80,8%, the small fraction – 2,6-2,8%. In all variants with the use of the tested agrochemical, the number of large tubers increased significantly by 0,4-0,5 pieces/plant, with an increase in their average weight, as well as the number of tubers of the medium fraction by 1,0-1,3 pieces in the 4th and 5th variants. In the 3rd (1,5 l/ha), 4th (2,0 l/ha) and 5th (2,5 l/ha) variants, stabilization of the dry matter and starch content at the mineral background level was observed, with a simultaneous increase in the content of vitamin C by 1,4-1,8 mg%, a decrease in the concentration of nitrates by 23-27 mg/kg (or by 26-30%), as well as reducing sugars by 0,07-0,10%.