The effect of leaf area index on potatoes yield in soils contaminated by some heavy metals

Abstract

A method of growth analysis was used to evaluate the yield results in experiments conducted during years 1999-2001 on School co-operative farm in Žabčice. In sequential terms of sampling from two potato varieties with different duration of growing season, the effect of leaf area index (L, LAI), on yield of tubers in soils contaminated by cadmium, arsine and beryllium, was evaluated. From a growers view the phytotoxic influence on development of assimilatory apparatus and yields during the growth of a very-early variety Rosara and a medium-early Korela were evaluated. These varieties were grown under field conditions in soils contaminated by graded levels of cadmium, arsenic and beryllium. The yields of tubers were positively influenced by duration of growing season and increased of leaf area index during three experimental years. On the contrary, graded levels of heavy metals had negative influence on both chosen varieties. The highest phytotoxic influence was recorded of arsine and the lowest of cadmium. Significant influence of arsenic and beryllium on size of leaf area index in the highest applied variants was found. The influence of experimental years on tuber yields was also statistically significant.

Keywords

• growth analysis
• leaf area index
• tuber yield
• duration of growing season
• varieties
• heavy metals
• terms of sampling