Key Technical Points and Management Methods for Autumn Potato Cultivation

Autumn potato refers to potatoes planted from early July to early August and harvested in winter (mid-to-late November). Its growth period is short, and the purpose of planting is to provide excellent seed potatoes for the main spring potato production. Therefore, autumn potato cultivation has relatively strict requirements for plots, seasonal timing, and other factors. The more successful cultivation techniques are as follows:

1. Plot selection. Autumn potato is suitable for planting in low-heat river valley zones, flatlands, and semi-mountainous areas at altitudes of 1600-2000 m with abundant natural resources such as light, heat, and water. The main suitable planting plots are: flue-cured tobacco fields entering the late harvesting and curing stage before mid-August; the empty rows after intercropped small spring potatoes are harvested; and main spring potato plots where harvesting is completed before the end of July.

2. Variety selection. Mainly select excellent medium-early maturing varieties used for small spring potato production, such as Xuanshu No. 2 and No. 3, Weiyu No. 3 and No. 2, 88P55-30, 85 Keyi, Mira, and Hui-2.

3. Planting seasonal timing. Grasping the optimal seasonal timing for planting is the key to increasing yield. The optimal seasonal timing for autumn potato planting is July 15 to August 15.

4. Reasonable close planting and scientific fertilization. Ensure about 3300 hills are sown per mu, with a row spacing of 0.5 m and a hill spacing of 0.35-0.4 m. At sowing, apply 1000-1500 kg of decomposed farmyard manure per mu and 40-50 kg of potato special-purpose fertilizer, and cover with loose soil, which is conducive to full hills, full seedlings, and uniform emergence.

5. Strengthen field management and intertillage management. At sowing, remove weeds in the field while making planting holes. After autumn potato seedlings emerge, combine intertillage and weeding at the rosette stage, and earth up and ridge the soil at the appropriate time.

6. Timely harvest. After autumn potato grows into November, when leaf drop and dead seedlings occur due to low-temperature freezing, harvest should be carried out in a timely manner after about 10 days. During harvest, strictly remove impurities, pick out diseased and rotten potatoes, and keep all the rest as seed for main spring potato production.

7. Seed potato storage. After harvest, autumn potatoes should be placed in a ventilated, dry place with a little scattered light for storage, to prevent heating that causes potato tuber moth damage and reduces seed potato quality.