What are the latest fertilization methods for increasing sweet potato yields?
Sweet potato is an important food crop and also an important livestock feed. Ordinary rural households generally grow it. Sweet potato yields are generally decent, but if it suffers flooding, or if there is too much rain, the yield will decline; in fertile, deep soil the yield is somewhat higher, so increasing sweet potato yields generally depends on fertilizer supply. Let us take a look together at how to increase yields through fertilization.
1. Fertilizer requirement principles
Nitrogen fertilizer enhances leaf photosynthesis and promotes stem and leaf growth. Use it in moderation. Excessive use will cause suberization of root cells. Phosphorus fertilizer promotes root cell division and can also help nutrient absorption. Potassium fertilizer can improve photosynthetic efficiency somewhat, help root growth, and increase the number and weight of storage roots. In fact, potassium fertilizer has the greatest effect on sweet potato growth, followed by nitrogen fertilizer and phosphorus fertilizer. The effect is most obvious when used in combination.
2. Testing and fertilization
Sweet potato has strong adaptability to soil and soil acidity and alkalinity; it can be grown at pH 4.2 to 8.3, and it likes fertile, loose soil that drains and irrigates easily. Before planting, it is necessary to test the nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium content in the soil, as well as the organic matter content; in some cases the soil acidity and alkalinity need to be tested. After testing, fertilizer can be applied according to need, or the planting soil can be improved. Formula fertilization can also be used.
3. Fertilization methods
Generally, 200 jin of dual-patent high-potassium compound fertilizer can be applied per mu, in which the ratio of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium is 2 to 1 to 3. Do not use too much nitrogen fertilizer; it easily causes excessive vine growth and no sweet potato formation. Some livestock manure can be used after fermentation; poultry manure is too high in heat and is not suitable for use. Do not use nitrate nitrogen fertilizer; sweet potato easily cracks. Use 400 jin of biological bacterial fertilizer and plant ash per mu as base fertilizer.
4. Fertilization techniques
In the early stage, potassium deficiency causes short internodes and small leaves; in the late stage, potassium deficiency causes the leaf veins to lose greenness. For sandy soil, use semi-decomposed organic fertilizer as base fertilizer. For clay soil, use fully decomposed fertilizer. Then apply 300 jin of plant ash per mu. Plant ash should not be used with ammonium bicarbonate, as it affects nitrogen absorption. Sweet potato should not use potassium chloride; it is chlorine-sensitive. Soaking vines in potassium speeds up growth. Add 1 jin of potassium sulfate to 50 jin of water. Soak the vine seedlings, but do not soak the terminal buds; take them out after one hour and let them dry. More than one month after planting, use 20 jin of potassium sulfate per mu, applied in holes. When the vines grow to 1 m, use another 100 jin of plant ash, broadcast in the morning.
To increase sweet potato yields, fertilization should be based on fertilizer requirements, applied with skill, and applied correctly. Growth promotion will correspondingly increase the yield.