Several High-Yield Potato Cultivation Models Introduced

In recent years, the Potato Association of Ziyang District, Yiyang City has actively explored high-yield potato cultivation models and carried out contiguous demonstration planting in Xiangpulun Township, Yingfengqiao Town, Changchun Town and other places, forming a complete high-yield cultivation technology system.

Spring potato - double-cropping rice cultivation. For spring potato, early-maturing varieties such as "Dongnong 303" are selected, sown from mid-to-late December to early January of the following year, and harvested from late April to early May. For early rice, late-maturing varieties are selected, using sparse sowing for strong seedlings or two-stage seedling raising, and transplanted in time after the potato harvest in early May. Early rice should be appropriately densely planted to increase the basic number of seedlings, combined with a one-time sufficient application of fertilizer, to ensure that the seedlings grow early and quickly. For late rice, medium-maturing or medium-early maturing hybrid rice combinations are selected, sown and transplanted at the appropriate time. Compared with double-cropping rice, this purely adds one season of potato income of 800-1,200 yuan.

Spring potato - spring corn - autumn potato cultivation. Spring potato cultivation is the same as above. Spring corn is sown from late March to mid-April, interplanted between potato rows in mid-to-late April or transplanted in time after the potato harvest, and fresh corn cobs are harvested in early-to-mid July. Autumn potato is sown from late August to early September. This model has an average annual output value of 3,000-4,000 yuan per mu and an average annual net income of 2,200-3,100 yuan per mu, which is 2.6-3.5 times the benefit of planting double-cropping rice.

Spring potato - spring glutinous (sweet) corn - vegetable cultivation. Spring potato and spring corn cultivation are the same as above. After the spring corn harvest, vegetables such as Chinese cabbage and autumn lettuce are planted as a companion crop. Sowing is done before July 20, and transplanting is done in mid-August. This model has an average annual output value of 3,000-4,500 yuan per mu and an average annual net income of 2,000-3,400 yuan per mu, which is 1.9-3.9 times the benefit of planting double-cropping rice.

Spring potato - spring glutinous (sweet) corn - autumn corn cultivation. Spring potato and spring corn cultivation are the same as above. Autumn corn is sown before the end of July, ensuring 4,000-4,500 plants per mu. The average annual output value is 2,800-3,300 yuan per mu, and the average annual net income is 1,900-2,300 yuan per mu, which is 1.9-2.1 times the benefit of planting double-cropping rice.

In terms of high-yield potato cultivation technology, the association has promoted the new technology of no-till potato cultivation with full rice straw mulching, focusing on the following key points:

Selection of seed potatoes. New varieties such as Dongnong 303, Atlantic, Favorita, and Zhongshu No. 5 are selected.

Apply sufficient basal fertilizer. Generally, 3,000-4,000 kg of organic fertilizer per mu, 15-20 kg of potassium sulfate or 100-150 kg of plant ash, and 50-60 kg of compound fertilizer are applied. Where zinc is deficient, 2 kg of zinc sulfate can be applied; where boron is deficient, 1 kg of borax can be applied.

Sow in time. Spring potato must be fully sown from mid-to-late December to early February, and seed potatoes are required to be sown with sprouts; autumn potato must be fully sown from late August to early September, and sprout promotion before sowing is required to ensure that every seed potato has strong sprouts, which can shorten the emergence time and extend the growth period. In particular, autumn potato should preferably be sown as whole potatoes. Whole-potato sowing has no wounds and is not easily infected by pathogens, so it is not prone to seed rot, which is conducive to full emergence in one sowing. For whole-potato sowing, potatoes weighing 30-50 grams are suitable; too small is not conducive to high yield, and too large is not cost-effective. Soaking seeds in a 280-300 times dilution of potassium permanganate for 20 minutes can reduce the incidence of potato blackleg disease.

Reasonable dense planting. According to the characteristic of this technology that potato tubers are concentrated on the soil surface, the potato planting density should be appropriately increased. The suitable density is 4,000-5,000 plants per mu. Because the Atlantic variety has a short plant, it needs to be appropriately densely planted, preferably 5,500-6,000 plants per mu. In addition, where the fertility level is low, it can be appropriately denser, and where the fertility level is high, it can be sparser.

Disinfection and straw covering. Before sowing potatoes, disinfect the soil with dexon or carbendazim and the like, so as to avoid infection by pathogens after sowing and causing seed rot. After sowing, cover with 10 cm thick rice straw, and cover evenly.

Field management. Focus on water management, keep the soil dry and refreshing; soil that is too wet easily causes seed rot. Open the "three ditches" (perimeter ditch, main ditch, and bed ditch) well, so that drainage is unobstructed and the field dries after rain stops. In continuous drought weather, irrigate appropriately to keep moist and promote uniform emergence. After full emergence, apply 7-8 kg of urea per mu or 20 kg of ammonium bicarbonate plus 8-10 kg of potassium sulfate, applied with water or in furrows (holes); overly vigorous seedlings can be top-dressed less or not at all.

Chemical regulation. From the bud stage to the flowering stage, if the plants show a tendency to excessive vegetative growth due to excessive fertilizer and water, 24-32 grams of 15% paclobutrazol wettable powder per mu, or 15-20 grams of 25% paclobutrazol emulsifiable concentrate, can be added to 40 liters of water and evenly sprayed onto the plant canopy with a sprayer.