| A field experiment was conducted to examine the effects of different kinds of zinc fertilizers (inorganic zinc sulfate and organic chelated zinc sugar alcohols) on the absorption, accumulation and distribution of Zn, and the tuber yield of “Xin Da Ping” potato plants. The results showed that 35 days after the emergence, obvious variations in zinc concentrations could be observed in all organs of potato plants. Three sprays during the growth period could significantly increase zinc concentrations and accumulations in various organs, displaying the highest growth rate in leaves. Zinc sulfate treatment (T2) and sugar alcohol treatment (T3) of zinc concentration in leaves reached the maximums 85 days and 75 days after emergence, respectively. 85 days after emergence, zinc concentrations in leaves with T2 and T3 treatments were increased by 47.88 mg·kg-1 and 72.24 mg·kg-1, respectively, and that with T3 was 24.36 kg·mg-1 higher than that with T2. Till the end of tuber growth, zinc accumulations in leaves by T2 and T3 treatments were increased 1.5 times and 4 times as much as that by T1, and zinc accumulations in the tubers were increased by 37.5% and 49.4% more than that by T1. Applications of zinc fertilizer by increasing zinc concentrations in leaves of potato promoted photosynthesis, and consequently helped the growth and development of other organs, ultimately improving the yield of tubers and yield of zinc. Tuber yields by T2 and T3 were increased by 10.6% and 22.5% more than that by T1, resulting in increases of zinc production by 26.9% and 46%, respectively. The technique “applying zinc fertilizer seed dressing and spraying” improved the ratio of zinc distribution in root and stem leaf, and reduced the distribution ratio of zinc to tuber. Application of zinc fertilizer increased the transfer coefficient from the ground organs to the underground organs. Potato seed and leaf showed better absorption of small molecules of organic chelated zinc fertilizer sugar alcohol zinc than inorganic zinc sulfate zinc. |