LAUSR

Abstract Leaf SPAD values are thought to be an indicator of potato nitrogen (N) status; however, when making plant N diagnosis, no single threshold leaf SPAD value can be used for all potato cultivars because of cultivar variation. We conducted field experiments over 3 years to test whether the difference in SPAD values between the upper and lower leaves was consistent among potato cultivars, and whether this value responded to N application levels. The results showed cultivar affects the SPAD values of the fourth and eighth leaves (SPADL4 and SPADL8), but not SPADL4-8, the difference between SPADL4 and SPADL8. Moreover, the SPADL4-8 values responded well to N application levels. Therefore the SPADL4-8 could be applied as a general index of N status across different potato cultivars, and establishing a threshold SPADL4-8 value might be more useful in guiding N fertilization recommendations for different potato cultivars.