Response of potatoes (cv russet burbank) to supplemental calcium applications under field conditions: Tuber calcium, yield, and incidence of internal brown spot

Potato tuber tissue is low in calcium as compared to leaves and stems. Several recent studies have provided evidence linking tuber quality with tuber tissue Ca concentration. The purpose of the present study was to determine the influence of supplemental Ca and N fertilization on tuber Ca concentration and internal brown spot of potato. Three soluble products (calcium nitrate, calcium chloride, and N-Plus; 9N:0K:0P:11Ca) were used as Ca sources with and without gypsum. In addition, a combination of calcium chloride, urea, and calcium nitrate (CUC) was also used without gypsum. Each treatment consisted of five replications, which received the same total amount of N (252 kg ha^?1) supplied either alone or in various combinations of ammonium nitrate, urea, calcium nitrate, calcium chloride, and N-Plus. The soluble sources of Ca were added at 68.8 to 168.0 kg ha^?1 while gypsum supplied Ca at 49 kg ha^?1. The application of all N by hilling (non-split) was compared to split application of N and Ca at hilling and 2, 4, and 6 wk after hilling. Tubers were mechanically harvested and graded according to industry standards. About 100 U.S. No. 1 tubers from each replication were cut in half along the longitudinal axis and visually inspected for internal defects. From each replication, non-periderm tissue from 15 tubers was combined for Ca analysis. There was no treatment effect on tuber yield in both years. Application of gypsum, either alone or in combination with the soluble sources, was not effective in reducing incidence of internal brown spot (IBS). Furthermore, with one exception, application of gypsum either alone or in combination with soluble sources of Ca was not effective at increasing tuber tissue Ca concentration. Combined analyses of data from 2 years showed that the application of soluble sources of Ca without gypsum increased tuber Ca concentration and decreased the incidence of IBS. Furthermore, split application of N had similar beneficial effects as compared to non-split N. Data from 1997 (a year with high IBS) gave a significant inverse relationship between tuber Ca and IBS, suggesting that an increase in tuber Ca can reduce IBS incidence.