Humic substances: effects on potato growth and yield

Abstract

The results from humic substances (HS) application in varied crops and conditions are controversial, and the experiments with the potato crop in Brazil are scarce. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of HS doses on the growth and yield of two potato cultivars. Four doses of HS were tested: 0, 5.05, 10.10, and 15.15 L ha-1, applied in the planting furrows of cvs. Agata and BRS F63 Camila, in Guarapuava-PR, in the 2015 and 2016 crop seasons, between October and February. The experiment was carried out using a randomized complete block design, in a factorial scheme (crop season x dose x cultivar), with four replications. Plant samplings were performed at tuber initiation, flowering, tuber bulking, and plant maturation growth stages. After shoot senescence, the total and commercial tuber yields were evaluated. Cultivars responded similarly to HS application, with no significant interaction between HS and cultivars, for most assessed variables. At tuber initiation, there was a negative linear effect of HS doses on leaf area index, number of formed tubers, and tuber and total plant dry weight. In the other evaluations, the effect of HS application was not observed regarding the assessed variables. Likewise, no effects were detected on the number and fresh weight of tubers in total and commercial yields. We concluded that HS application affected both cultivars similarly, hampering initial plant growth and not increasing potato yield.

Cattle manure and humic substances stimulate morphophysiological and nutritional processes in pepper plants

“…The application of humic substances increased WUE (Figure 4A) from 2.96 (with no humic substance application) to 3.43 μmol CO 2 mmol H 2 O m -2 s -1 when applying 12 kg ha -1 of humic substances, representing an increase of 15.87%. Effects of humic substances on WUE are still not clear; one hypothesis is the physical blockage of pores on the cell wall surface of roots, affecting root hydraulic conductivity, leaf growth, transpiration, and tolerance to drought (Lazzarini et al, 2022).…”