Basal fertiliser application method, tuber initiation nitrogen, foliar NPK and the tolerance of potatoes to infection by the potato cyst nematodes Globodera rostochiensis and G. pallida

Summary The effects of broadcast granular, placed liquid and foliar fertilisers on the tolerance of potatoes to infection by potato cyst nematodes were investigated. The tolerance of the potato cv. Pentland Dell was not significantly improved by fertiliser application type but placed liquid fertiliser, with or without foliar applications, increased the concentrations of N, P and K measured in whole plant dry matter of PCN infected plants. The tolerance of the potato cv. Sante was not statistically improved by altering the balance of fertiliser nitrogen applications between planting and tuber initiation or by applying foliar nitrogen. Nitrogen applications of 120 kg N ha‐1 at planting and a further 120 kg N ha‐1 at tuber initiation supplemented with foliar N, however, achieved a larger tuber yield than the same nitrogen programme without foliar N and gave a significantly greater yield than the application of 240 kg N ha‐1 at planting plus foliar N. The emergence of both cultivars was delayed in the absence of oxamyl. N, P and K concentrations within whole plant dry matter were significantly higher in plants from oxamyl treated plots and both N and K concentrations were significantly increased by increasing the quantity of N at planting, at 56 DAP. Splitting the fertiliser N between planting and tuber initiation appears to be important in maintaining the availability of this nutrient to PCN infected plants throughout the season.