Growth and chemical composition of crop plants may be subject to alteration by systemic compounds employed for pest control. A field study was implemented to examine the effects of aldicarb on growth, chemical composition, and nutrient diagnosis of a potato crop at various growth stages. Aldicarb use resulted in increased dry matter production of leaves, stems, and tubers, and final fresh tuber weight during the second year of the study. Higher tuber yields were likely due to greater photosynthetic capacity because the increase in leaf dry matter production with time was greater in the aldicarb treatment than in control. Leaf nutrition was not influenced by aldicarb; however, leaf nutrient content varied greatly with growth stage. Similar nutrient status evaluations were generated by DRIS, regardless of pesticide treatment or growth stage. DRIS was able to diagnose nutrient limitations as early as tuber initiation