The use of by-products of animal husbandry and K-Mg ore processing for potato mini-tubers production a greenhouse

Abstract

The article discusses the use of by-products of processing K-Mg ores (sludge) and animal husbandry (dry chicken manure) for potato mini-tubers production in greenhouse conditions. The changes in the agrochemical parameters of the substrate (peat), the content of trace elements in potato leaves and the productivity of mini-tubers of the Julia and Grand potato varieties were studied depending on the doses and ratios of by-products. The higher rate of consumption of nutrients from the substrate led to degradation of peat agrochemical parameters for the early variety Julia relatively to the medium-ripened Grand variety on the 45th day after planting. The use of sludge led to increase of water-soluble salts concentration and chloride content in peat by 2.6 g/l and 0.32%, respectively (LSD05=0.6 g/l and 0.12%, respectively). The highest content of mobile forms of phosphorus and potassium, as well as nitrate nitrogen, was obtained by the combined application of sludge and dry manure. The total mass of mini-tubers for the Grand variety was 156.1 g, for the Julia variety 144.5 g (the difference is 11.6 g with LSD05=9.7 g). The average number of mini-tubers formed was 8.6 pieces per Julia variety and 7.1 pieces per Grand variety (LSD05=1.2 pieces). The use of sludge had the greatest impact on the total weight and number of mini-tubers. The content of trace elements in potato leaves had complex patterns of distribution according to experimental variants. Reliable inverse correlations were established between the total mass of mini-tubers and Co content (r=-0.82), as well as between the quantity of mini-tubers and the Mo content (r=-0.72). No negative effect of increased chloride concentration in peat on the productivity of mini-tubers was observed.