Detailed Explanation of the Latest Key Potato Cultivation Techniques

Soil preparation and pre-sowing   

For planting, fertile sandy loam and loam soil should be chosen. After the previous crop is harvested, promptly clear the stubble and plow, with a plowing depth of about 30em, and in combination with land preparation, generally apply about 5000 kg of organic fertilizer per mu, 25--50 kg of phosphate fertilizer or 50 kg of diammonium phosphate. Before sowing, ridges 70—80em wide should be formed and left ready for planting.

Cutting seed potatoes and sprouting before sowing   

It is suitable to cut each kilogram of seed potatoes into 50 pieces. When cutting, first cut lengthwise, then crosswise, and the pieces should be uniform in size, with each piece having 1--2 buds. The cut pieces should first be rinsed several times with well water, then soaked for 15 minutes in a 500-fold solution of 50% carbendazim plus 1000-fold agricultural streptomycin, then removed and air-dried (preferably within 2 hours) for sprouting.     Sprouting: During spring sprouting, because the potato dormancy period has already passed, only an increase in temperature is needed. About 20 days before sowing, bury the cut and soaked seed pieces in moist sandy soil to sprout, keeping the temperature at about 15°. When the sprouts grow to 2em, they can be planted.

Sow at the right time and plant rationally     

For spring planting, sow from late February to early March and harvest from late May to mid-June. When sowing, use plastic film mulching, with a row spacing of 60cm and plant spacing of 25cm, or a row spacing of 70cm and plant spacing of 20em. It is suitable to maintain a density of 4000--4500 plants per mu.

Spring field management   

After spring sowing, the principle of field management is “restrain first, then promote”, that is: before flower buds appear, avoid watering as much as possible to prevent excessive aboveground growth; after flower buds appear, water and fertilize to promote underground growth. Generally, in early to mid-April, carry out intertillage and topdressing: apply 40--50 kg of ammonium bicarbonate (or 15 kg of urea) per mu into the furrows. From late April to early May, carry out earthing up and watering. In mid-May, carry out a second earthing up and watering. After that, water according to soil moisture to keep the soil moist, with the surface preferably alternating between dry and moist. Do not water for l0 days before harvest to prevent tuber rot in the field. If plants show a tendency toward excessive growth, spray 50--t00 grams of 15% paclobutrazol per mu during the flower bud stage (late April to early May) for control.

Pest and disease control of potatoes   

The main disease of potatoes is late blight. Control measures: first, strictly implement quarantine and do not transfer seed potatoes from diseased areas; second, handle seed potatoes well and plant whole tubers where possible. If cutting is needed, pay attention to disinfecting the cutting knife; third, during the growing period, if plants with late blight are found, spray promptly for control. A 1000-fold 50% mancozeb wettable powder or an 800-fold 25% metalaxyl wettable powder solution can be used for control. Spray once every 7 days, for 3--4 consecutive sprays.    

The main insect pests of potatoes are aphids, 28-spotted ladybird beetles and underground pests. The main control methods are: for aphids, use an 800-fold 40% omethoate solution or a 1000-fold 10% imidacloprid wettable powder for control; for 28-spotted ladybird beetles, use an 500-fold 80% trichlorfon solution or a 1000-fold dimethoate solution for spray control, starting control as soon as adults are found; underground pests are mainly mole crickets, white grubs and cutworms. Use 500 grams of 80% trichlorfon wettable powder, dissolve it in water, then mix it evenly with 20 kg of roasted cottonseed cake or rapeseed cake or wheat bran to make poisoned bait, and scatter it on the ground near the roots of seedlings in the evening to trap and kill them, or use phoxim granules 812 powder and apply it into the soil during sowing for control.