Abstract:
Potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) is starchy vegetable known by improving food security, income and
household livelihood in Ethiopia. However, its productivity and quality is very low due to poor
agronomic practice, particularly poor application of fertilizer. So, field experiment was conducted in
Fagita Lekoma district, North Western Ethiopia during rainy season of 2023, to determine the effect of
foliar-applied boron and zinc on yield and quality of potato. The treatment consisted four level of
boron (0, 105, 210 and 315 ppm) and four level of zinc (0, 280, 560 and 840 ppm) arranged in RCBD
with three replications, the data was collected on phenology, growth, yield and quality parameters.
Statistical data was analyzed using SAS software version 9.4 and significant means were separated
with least significant difference at 5% probability level finally partial budget analysis was done
following the CIMMYT (1988) methods. Results revealed that, boron and zinc fertilizer significantly
(p< 0.001) affected on yield and quality of potato. Day to flowering was showed non-significant
difference among the treatments while, early maturity was observed from combined effect of boron 315
and zinc 560ppm. The highest (5.44) number of main stem was observed with the interaction of 315
ppm boron and 840 ppm zinc. The maximum of (10.71 and 10.79) number of tuber, (80.60 and 82.16g)
average tuber weight, marketable tuber yield (32.43 and 31.30 tha-1), (35.97 and 35.23 tha-1) total
tuber yield was observed with foliar application of 315ppm boron and 560ppm zinc respectively. The
highest dry matter content (21.95 and 21.57%), starch yield (5.69 and 5.6 tha-1) were recorded with
315 ppm boron and 560 ppm Zn. The highest (1.097 g/cm³) specific gravity (17.18%) starch content
was recorded, with the interaction of 315ppm boron and 560ppm zinc. The maximum (72.26%) of
larger sized tuber was recorded in combination of boron 315 and zinc 840ppm and the highest small
sized tuber (58.00%) was recorded from control of both boron and zinc. The maximum net benefit
