Detailed Explanation of Key Points of Potato Wide-Ridge Cultivation Technology

The potato wide-ridge cultivation technology uses 180 kg/hectare of virus-free seed potatoes, adopts 80-90 cm wide-ridge cultivation, 30 cm deep loosening, changes single-layer tuber formation to multi-layer dispersed tuber formation, mixed application of farmyard manure and chemical fertilizer, chemical control of pests and diseases, and a comprehensive cultivation method combining chemical weeding with manual weeding.

1. Seed treatment: select virus-free seed potatoes Kexin 13 or Kexin 18. 30-40 days before sowing, take the seed potatoes out of the cellar and store them in a place above 10°C to break dormancy and promote sprouting. At the same time, remove diseased and rotten potatoes. 5-7 days before sowing, when the seed buds begin to sprout, cut the seed potatoes. Prepare disinfectant (500-fold potassium permanganate solution, or 95% alcohol) and blades. When cutting into diseased tuber pieces, first, discard the diseased seed potatoes; second, immediately disinfect the blade by soaking it in the disinfectant solution for 3-5 seconds. The cut tuber pieces are generally about 25 g each, with 1-2 buds per piece. After cutting, the stacking height of the tuber pieces must not exceed 20 cm, the temperature should be controlled at about 20°C, and the relative humidity at 85%.

2. Land selection: select flat terrain, sheltered from wind and facing the sun, with no standing water and good drainage.

3. Crop rotation selection: (1) Corn stubble and gramineous crops are best; (2) Soybean stubble is next. (Land previously treated with chlorimuron-ethyl, imazethapyr, Pursuit, or mixed formulations of the two cannot be planted with potatoes); (3) Vegetable stubble, except cruciferous and solanaceous crops.

4. Land preparation: deep plowing 30 cm, apply 10000 kg/hectare of farmyard manure, and form wide ridges 80-90 cm wide.

5. Fertilization: in addition to increasing farmyard manure, also deeply apply 241 kg/hectare of urea, 234 kg/hectare of diammonium phosphate, and 560 kg/hectare of potassium sulfate.

6. Sowing: sowing can begin when the soil temperature steadily passes 6-7°C. In Suiling County, this is late April to early May.

7. Cultivation density: 65000-72000 plants/hectare.

8. Chemical weeding: 99% acetochlor 1500 mil/hectare, or 70% metribuzin 600 g/hectare, diluted in 450 kg of water, evenly sprayed 5-7 days after sowing for pre-emergence closed weeding.

9. Field management: (1) After sowing and before emergence, depending on weather conditions, harrow lightly if soil cover is too thick, or run one plow pass of "mengtou soil" if soil cover is too shallow during cold spells; (2) Inspect the field and fill gaps. If missing plants are found after emergence, replant promptly. (After sowing, bury surplus seed tuber pieces at the field edge as reserve seedlings); (3) Manual weeding. Remove weeds manually as soon as they appear; (4) Deep loosening. Timely deep-loosen the furrows before flowering, but try not to throw soil onto the ridge tops; (5) Disease prevention. 5-7 days after flowering, control aboveground growth and spray chlormequat. At the same time, spray fungicide 72% DuPont Curzate, or 72% Jinlei 500 g, to prevent potato late blight; (6) Pest control. For soil-dwelling pests, use 5% phorate 40-50 kg/hectare; for aphids, when aphids occur, use imidacloprid or acaricide 230 g/hectare; for ladybugs, when ladybugs occur, mix 500 mil each of dichlorvos, Tianwang, and Bisiwuyi and spray.

10. Timely harvest: begin harvesting when the aboveground plants start to wilt; do not harvest too late.