Document Type : Original Article
Authors
1
Soils Department, Faculty of Agriculture, Mansoura University, EL-Mansoura, 35516, Egypt
2
Soil & Water and Environment Research Institute, Agriculture Research Center, Giza, 12619, Egypt
Abstract
Studying the potential positive effects of periodic table elements on the performance of strategic plants, such as potatoes, is currently essential due to the nutrient gap. Therefore, a field experiment was conducted during the 2024/2025 growing season, aiming at maximizing the productivity of potatoes via organic fertilization treatments and foliar spraying of some trace elements under the experimental design of split-split plot. The compost treatments (applied or not) represented the main factor, while the type of trace elements [bismuth (Bi), titanium (Ti), molybdenum (Mo) and selenium (Se)] were arranged in subplots. Three levels of each trace element were studied (0.0, 5.0, 10.0 mg L⁻¹) as the sub-sub main factor. Growth criteria (e.g., fresh and dry weights), photosynthetic pigments (e.g., chlorophyll a &b), chemical composition in leaves and tubers (i.e., NPK), biochemical traits of tuber (e.g., VC and TDS), available nutrients in soil (i.e., NPK) and organic matter content of soil were determined. The highest values of all growth, performance yield and quality traits were achieved with treatment of compost, while the lowest values were recorded under control treatment (without compost). In terms of effectiveness, the superior element was selenium (Se) followed by molybdenum (Mo) then titanium (Ti) and lately bismuth (Bi). On the other hand, the positive effect of each studied elements increased as their rates increased from 0.0 to 5.0 then 10.0mgL-1. Concerning the interaction effect, it can be noticed that the combined superior treatment was compost x selenium at rate of 10.0mgL-1. On the other hand, the compost enhanced the soil content of NPK and OM compared to the control treatment (without compost). Regarding spraying the studied trace elements, their influence on soil properties (NPK and OM) was unclear. Based on these results, it can be concluded that the trace elements used in this study, especially bismuth and titanium, have vital roles for potato growth, and research should be intensified on their importance to other plants, and work should begin on including them in fertilization programs alongside organic fertilization.
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