What to Do About Low Potato Yields? Cause Analysis and Solutions

Potato, also known as the Irish potato, is a vegetable we commonly eat in daily life and is grown all over the country. However, as the planting area has increased, many farmers have seen low yields, which seriously affects their income. So what are the causes of low potato yields? And how should they be solved? Let's take a look together with Qinnong Web.

1. Seed potato quality problems

Nationwide, very few people growing potatoes now use virus-free seed potatoes, which leads to a high incidence of viral diseases during potato cultivation. Once the disease strikes, it is relatively difficult to cure and causes reduced yields. In addition, using potatoes that have been grown for many years as seed without introducing new seed causes the seed potatoes to keep degenerating and also makes diseases more likely to occur, resulting in low yields.

Solution: When selecting seed potatoes, try to choose virus-free seed potatoes. The selection of seed potatoes must be strictly regulated, and it is not advisable to use potatoes grown for years as seed.

2. Improper fertilization

To save on planting costs, many farmers apply only chemical fertilizers when fertilizing and rarely use organic fertilizer or farmyard manure, and the amount applied is also seriously insufficient. This causes potatoes to lack nutrients during growth, prevents normal growth, and thus leads to low yields.

Solution: Be sure to apply enough fertilizer when fertilizing. Generally, the application rate is 250-400 kg per hectare. Also, when fertilizing, try to choose farmyard manure and organic fertilizer combined with chemical fertilizers to ensure the nutrients needed for potato growth.

3. Temperature reasons

Potatoes have certain temperature requirements during germination, growth, and tuber formation. During germination, the temperature needs to be kept at 7-12 degrees; during the planting and growth stage, the most suitable temperature for growth is 18-22 degrees, and once the temperature exceeds 35 degrees or falls below 7 degrees, growth stops. When the temperature is below minus 3 degrees, the plants will freeze to death; during tuber formation, the most suitable temperature is 16-20 degrees. When the temperature difference between day and night is large, nutrient consumption is reduced, which can increase yields to a certain extent, but if the nighttime temperature is higher than 25 degrees, growth stops and yields decrease.

Solution: Therefore, be sure to follow the temperature requirements for potato growth, and the temperature must not be too high or too low. During tuber formation, if the temperature difference between day and night is small, greenhouse technology can be used to increase the temperature difference: seal the greenhouse during the day to raise the indoor temperature, and strengthen ventilation at night to lower the indoor temperature.

4. Pests and diseases

Pests and diseases have an enormous impact on potato quality and yield. According to survey data, using pesticides to prevent diseases increased yields by 34.7% compared with no disease prevention, which shows the harm pests and diseases do to potato yields. In addition, when planting in mountainous areas, damage from the 28-spotted ladybird is relatively serious, while during the weedy period, weeds compete with the plants for nutrients. In addition, rodent damage to potato yields should not be underestimated either.

Solution: When planting, pest and disease control work must not be taken lightly. Strengthen daily management, apply more phosphorus and potassium fertilizer, improve the plants' disease resistance, and deal with pests and diseases promptly when found, applying the right treatment.

The above are the causes of and solutions for low potato yields brought to you by Qinnong Web. We hope it can help you. If you want to learn more, please stay tuned to Qinnong Web.