The effect of ethanol on potato growth and production at moderate elevation

Abstract

Indonesia's current potato cultivation areas are mainly in the highlands (1 000 m above sea level - a.s.l.). However, there are obstacles to potato cultivation in the highlands, including erosion, declining land productivity, limited area, and high production costs (i.e. labour wages, fertilisers, and pesticides). This study was aimed at analysing the effects of both an ethanol application and moderate altitudes on the potato production and quality. This study was conducted at the Horticulture Seed Station in the Ulu Ere subdistrict, Bantaeng Regency, South Sulawesi, Indonesia. A split randomised plot design with two factors was used. The main plots were set at two elevation levels: 500 and 700 m a.s.l. The split plots were subjected to the addition of four ethanol concentration levels: 0, 10, 20, and 30%. The results showed that the ethanol application did not significantly affect the potato growth at the moderate elevation, except for the tuber diameter. Moreover, the 20% ethanol concentration produced better results than the 0% ethanol concentration. The application of 10% ethanol at an altitude of 700 m a.s.l. and 30% ethanol at an altitude of 500 m a.s.l. resulted in the best growth and yield among the studied treatments.

Keywords

• co2 concentration
• potato quality
• rubisco enzymes
• split-plot design