Key Techniques for Potato Cultivation and Field Management
Potato, also called potato or yam, is an annual herbaceous plant of the nightshade family whose tubers are edible, so what does potato cultivation and management involve?
I. Basic Introduction to Potato
Potato is an annual herbaceous plant of the genus Solanum in the family Solanaceae, and is an important food crop. Potato tubers contain a large amount of starch, which can provide the human body with abundant calories, and they also contain other proteins, amino acids, etc., making it a relatively healthy food.
The growth and development of potato is divided into four periods, namely: the tuber dormancy period, the seed potato germination period, the plant growth and development period, and the tuber formation period.
About 20 days after the potato plant flowers, the tubers grow at their fastest rate, and afterward, as the aboveground stems and leaves gradually decline, the nutrients transported to the tubers decrease accordingly, and the tubers only stop enlarging once the stems and leaves have completely withered.
II. Potato Cultivation and Management
Select potato varieties suitable for planting, determine the planting time according to the local climate, carry out sprouting treatment before sowing, then cut into sprouted pieces for sowing; after the potatoes sprout, carry out reasonable fertilization, watering, pest and disease control, and other management according to the growth conditions of the crop.
Varieties such as Kexin No. 6, Kexin No. 1, Shaza 15, Anshu No. 58, Anshu No. 56, and Taiwan Red Skin are all suitable for open-field planting.
For potato sprouting, the chemical generally used is a mixed powder made by evenly blending 2 kg of 70% thiophanate-methyl plus 1 kg of 72% agricultural streptomycin into 50 kg of talcum powder.
Seed potatoes must not be placed directly under sunlight; handle the seed potatoes with care, lifting and setting them down gently to prevent breaking the sprouts; seed potatoes should be placed in a well-ventilated place, avoiding rain and frost.
Fertilization is best done using balanced fertilization (formula fertilization). When the tuber yield is 1000 kg per mu, the crop needs to absorb 5.6 kg of nitrogen, 2.2 kg of phosphorus, and 10.2 kg of potassium from the soil.
Potato should not be grown continuously, because continuous cropping can worsen soil-borne pests and diseases, easily cause severe deficiency of certain elements in the soil, disrupt the natural balance of soil microorganisms, and increase the accumulation of harmful substances secreted by the root system, affecting the yield and quality of potato. Therefore, it is best to rotate with crops such as rice, corn, onions and garlic, and melons.