Evaluate the Nitrogen, Calcium, and Boron Application Rates for Their Impact on Soft Rot, Yield, and Quality of “Russet Burbank”.

Soft rot and black leg, caused by Pactobacteria and Dickeya Spp. are carried and spread through potato seeds, soil, and water. The bacteria enters inside the tubers through mechanical damage and rots during harvesting and storage. Supplying proper nutrition to potato has been found to reduce the incidence of soft rot by increasing the phenols production, plant defense compounds Nitrogen rates were found to be a major factor for control of deformity and tuber rots. Nitrogen, boron, and calcium improve the production of phenols in plants. Available soil calcium reduce soft rot damage. Use of calcium ammonium nitrate instead of ammonium nitrate could help in reducing soft rot damage. Along with calcium, boron provides strength to the cell wall and more calcium absorption from the soil. Six nitrogen treatments were applied to the crop, 0, 56, 112, 168, 224, and 280 kg/ha of N before planting as calcium ammonium nitrate and ammonium nitrate. Two treatments of boron were applied from 0 and 3.2 kg/ha. Phosphorous and potassium were applied as recommended by university of Maine soil test services.Randomized Complete plot design was used with four replications. Tissue sampling and active optical sensors, Holland Crop Circle ACS-430 and Trimble GreenSeeker 505, will be used at budding, early-bloom, full-bloom, post-bloom stage. For tissue testing, fully expanded petiole number 4 from the top will be taken from the each plot. Three samples will be used per plot. Sensor reading will be taken at the time to compare both techniques for their yield prediction. Potatoes will be stored to evaluate soft rot problem during storage from fall through spring. Trmble GreenSeeker and Holland Crop Circle Model-ACS 430 were able to detect nitogen deficiencies in potatoes. However strong correlation between nitrogen rate and crop biomass was observed with red edge wavelength.