Aeroponics provides a uniform mist of nutrients around the rhizosphere resulting in optimum growth of roots and shoots in potatoes. The current study is an approach to optimize the plant spacing and planting dates for cost-effective production of seed tubers in three varieties of potatoes under aeroponics. The study was conducted on three varieties, viz., Kufri Jyoti (V1), Kufri Pukhraj (V2), and Kufri Khyati (V3), of potato with four planting dates, viz., 15th October (D1), 25th October (D2), 5th November (D3), and 15th November (D4), and three spacings, viz., 7 × 7 cm (S1), 14 × 14 cm (S2), and 21 × 21 cm (S3). Tukey’s post hoc test was done to group the significant treatment means at P ≤ 0.05. Kufri Pukhraj (V2) and Kufri Khyati (V3) reflected greater yield potential and higher root count per plant under aeroponics. The correlation analysis confirmed a significant and positive correlation of tuber yield with numbers of roots and of mini-tubers per plant while there were negative correlations with plant growth parameters. The PC-biplots of each variety resulted in three clusters of the treatments under study where cluster 1 (wider spacing: S2 and S3; delayed planting: D3 and D4) included the yield-related parameters. The cost analysis, based on plant spacing, confirmed the higher plant population and production cost per unit area at lower spacing (S1 > S2 > S3); however, per mini-tuber cost was lowest at S2 (Rs. 1.94) and S1 (Rs. 2.02). A spacing of 14 × 14 cm with delayed planting provided disease-free and cost-effective seed tubers to the farmers.
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