Potato Intercropping Cultivation Models and Key Technical Points

To improve land utilization and increase farmers' income, several intercropping and relay-cropping models with potato as the main crop are introduced here, for the reference of farmer friends and grassroots leaders in adjusting the agricultural structure.

1. Potato-cotton. Potatoes are sprouted in late January and sown in mid-to-late February, using plastic film mulch cultivation. The varieties selected are virus-free potatoes Zheng Yin No. 5 and Zheng Yin No. 7, bred by the Zhengzhou Fruit Research Institute of the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences; for cotton, the large-plant, disease-resistant Biao Za A1 is preferable. Potatoes are planted in double rows on high ridges, with wide rows of 80 cm, narrow rows of 40 cm, and plant spacing of 20 cm to 25 cm, planting 4000 to 4500 plants per mu; cotton is best planted with row spacing of 120 cm, plant spacing of 20 cm, and about 2500 plants per mu. Cotton is raised in nutrient pots, sown on March 20 and transplanted around April 20. The symbiotic period of cotton and potato is 35 to 40 days, with no mutual interference. 2. Potato-corn-potato. Advantages of this model: compact crop rotation arrangement, full use of land. Disadvantages: when spring potatoes are harvested, the corn has already grown tall, making harvest and transport inconvenient. The sowing width of this model is 120 cm, and potato plant spacing is 20 cm to 25 cm. Because the row spacing of corn is widened, its plant spacing should be reduced to 15 cm to 20 cm. Sow 4000 to 4500 potato plants and 2500 to 2700 corn plants per mu. Potatoes use plastic film mulch cultivation, sown in mid-to-late February or early March and harvested at the end of May; corn is sown around April 20 and harvested in August. After the corn harvest, prepare the land promptly and sow autumn potatoes in mid-August. 3. Potato-seedless watermelon-potato. In spring, a cultivation model of 4 rows of potato and 1 row of watermelon is used, that is, leaving one reserved row every two ridges, and ridging to intercrop watermelon at a width of 100 cm. After the watermelon is harvested, autumn potatoes are planted. The sowing period and density of potatoes are the same as above, and watermelon is planted at 500 to 600 plants per mu. Watermelon seedlings are raised from late March to early April, transplanted from late April to early May, harvested in mid-to-late July, and autumn potatoes are planted in mid-to-late August. 4. Potato-seedless watermelon-cauliflower (cabbage, celery). This model is basically the same as the 3rd model, except that the autumn potatoes are replaced with cauliflower, etc. Watermelon is harvested at the end of July, cauliflower seedlings are raised in mid-July, transplanted in early August, and harvested in November. With the above planting models, because the multiple cropping index is increased, more fertilizer should be applied and more water given. Brief introduction to the potato varieties used: Zheng Yin No. 5: This variety is early-maturing, with a growth period of 60 to 63 days and a yield of 2000 to 2500 kg per mu, and up to 4000 kg per mu on high-fertility and high-water land. Each plant sets 3 to 4 tubers, with most single tubers weighing 200 to 250 g. The tubers are oval, with yellow skin and yellow flesh, smooth skin, shallow and sparse eyes, and a high marketable rate; it is suitable for cultivation in two-crop regions. Zheng Yin No. 7: This variety is very early-maturing, with a growth period of 50 to 60 days, a spring yield of 2000 to 2500 kg per mu, and an autumn yield of more than 1500 kg per mu. Each plant sets 2 to 3 tubers; the tubers are long-round, with yellow skin and yellow flesh, and shallow and sparse eyes; it is suitable for foreign trade export and is currently one of the best early-maturing varieties. Zheng Yin No. 9: This variety is a special processing-type variety exclusively introduced by Zhenglong Company. The tubers are between round and long-round, with yellow skin and white flesh, and the skin has slight netting; the starch content is 18%, and the reducing sugar content is 0.03% to 0.15%, making it suitable for processing potato chips. The general yield is about 1500 kg per mu. If planted in concentrated contiguous plots, the company will be responsible for purchasing them back.