A field experiment was carried out to study nutrient balance among N, P, K and Mg in potato cultivation on an acid purple soil in Chongqing, China. The experiment included 8 treatments with equal P rate of 120 kg P2O5 hm-2: N0K2, N1K2, N2K2, N3K2, N2K0, N2K1, N2K1Mg and N2K3, where N0, N1, N2 and N3 stand for the N rates of 0, 75, 150 and 225 kg N hm-2, and K0, K1, K2 and K3 for the K rates of 0, 165, 330 and 495 kg K2O hm-2, respectively. Among the treatments designed, Thatment N2K2 with a nutrient supply ratio of N:P2O5:K2O:MgO = 1.25:1:2.75:0.28 gave the highest tuber yield and dry matter, highest starch and Zn and lowest NO3- contents in tuber, and high N, P and K use efficiency with an uptake ratio of N:P:K:Mg = 11.38:1:13.32:0.33 by tuber. Yield and starch and protein contents of tuber were the lowest in Treatment N0K2. Dry matter was the lowest but protein and NO3- contents were the highest in Treatment N2K0. Treatment N2K1Mg had the highest N, P and K utilization rates. Statistical analysis showed that yields of tuber and starch were in a positive linear correlation with the uptake amount of various nutrients and protein of the potato tuber was in a significantly positive linear correlation with tuber N cotent and in a significantly negative linear correlation with tuber K and Mg contents. Balanced application of N, P, K and Mg fertilizers (Treatmeat N2K2) was recommended for realization of high yield and good quality in potato cultivation. A field experiment was carried out to study nutrient balance among N, P, K and Mg in potato cultivation on an acid purple soil in Chongqing, China. The experiment included 8 treatments with equal P rate of 120 kg P2O5 hm-2: N0K2, N1K2, N2K2, N3K2, N2K0, N2K1, N2K1Mg and N2K3, where N0, N1, N2 and N3 stand for the N rates of 0, 75, 150 and 225 kg Nhm-2, and K0, K1, K2 and K3 for The K rates of 0, 165, 330 and 495 kg K2O hm-2, respectively. Among the regulations designed, Thatment N2K2 with a nutrient supply ratio of N: P2O5: K2O: MgO = 1.25: 1: 2.75: 0.28 gave the highest tuber yield and dry matter, highest starch and Zn and lowest NO3-contents in tuber, and high N, P and K use efficiency with an uptake ratio of N: P: K: Mg = 11.38: 1: 13.32: 0.33 by tuber. Yield and starch and protein contents of tuber were the lowest in Treatment N0K2. Dry matter was the lowest but protein and NO3-contents were the highest in Treatment N2K0. Treatment N2K1Mg had the highest N, P and K utilization rates. Statist ical analysis showed that yield of tuber and starch were in a positive linear correlation with the uptake amount of various nutrients and protein of the potato tuber was in a significantly positive linear correlation with tuber N cotent and in a significant negative linear correlation with tuber K and Mg contents. Balanced application of N, P, K and Mg fertilizers (Treatmeat N2K2) was recommended for realization of high yield and good quality in potato cultivation.