Umesh Thapa2
Abstract
A field experiment was conducted in 2018 at main campus BCKV, Mohanpur (Kolkata) to observe the effect of foliar application of seaweed extract (Pilatus Plus). In this study Potato (Solanum tuberosum L cv. Jyothi) and Onion (Allium cepa L cv. Sukhsagar) were examined for impact evaluation. In plains, cultivation of potato and onion is constrained by their shallow root systems and high sensitivity to drought, often resulting in reduced yields. The study involved applying various dosages (1000, 1250, 1500, and 2500 ml/ha) of the extract at three growth stages in both crops. Control plants were treated with water only. It was focused assessing the efficacy of Pilatus Plus on vegetative growth, yield, and quality of onion and potato with optimal spray dose. There was a noticeable improvement in tuber growth, yield and quality of potato with Pilatus Plus applications. The vegetative parameters are more or less increased with the spray dose of 1500 ml/ha. The optimal dosage for highest yield was 1250 ml/ha, which was statistically equivalent to 1500 ml/ha. Parameters such as individual weight of bulb/tuber, number of tubers/bulbs per plant, and total soluble solids (TSS) showed noticeable enhancement. The results confirmed that, foliar application of seaweed extract showed positive response towards the plant growth, yield and qualitative parameters in both crops. The best results were observed with three applications at a concentration of 1250 ml/ha, indicating this as the optimal dosage. This suggests that, treatment is a promising biostimulant and an eco-friendly alternative to conventional chemical growth promoters.