Effects of Fertilizers on the Productivity of Selected Potato Cultivars Grown in the Taita Hills Kenya
Abstract
Potato (Solanum tuberosum L) is an important food crop in Kenya that is produced and consumed by a large population. It creates direct employment to farmers and indirect employment to those working in its value chain. However, in the recent past, production in the Kenyan highlands has been constrained by the rapid decline in soil fertility occasioned by continuous cultivation without adequate replenishment of nutrients. The objective of this study was to establish the suitable high yielding climate smart cultivar and fertilizer rate for the Taita Hills. Yield parameters were measured for four selected potato cultivars grown in Taita hills, (Shangi, Tigoni, Kenya
Mpya and Dutch robjin) and eight fertilizer treatments (cattle manure, 0.05ton/ha NPK, 0.1ton/ha NPK, 0.15ton/ha NPK, manure + 0.05ton/ha NPK, manure +0.1ton/ha NPK, cattle manure and 0.15ton/ha NPK and a control for two seasons. The results from this study showed that the potato cultivar with the highest tuber yield was Shangi. A combination of NPK fertilizer and manure improved the yields. Shangi resulted in an increase in tuber yield with fertilizer than without any fertilizer application. The combination of cultivar and fertilizer rate gave higher tuber yield in the long rains season than in the short rains. The study identified Shangi cultivar as the most suitable for the Taita hills
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