POTATO FARM PRACTICES
1. Potatoes are important stable food which rank fourth largest food crop after maize, wheat and rice. They are also the number one vegetable crop in the world. Two-third of the world’s potatoes production is directly consumed by human while the remaining are consumed by animals or used for starch production. Yield harvested varies and it is dependent on factors like crop breeds, seed age and quality, crop management practices and plant environment.
2. The first thing to consider is seed age and quality. The age of potato seed can be defined in two ways, they are chronological age and physiological age. Chronological age of seed simply refers to the number of days that have passed since harvest. The physiological age is defines as the internal age of the seed which is caused by the biochemical changes taking place within the tuber. Young seed has slow emergence, longer tuber bulking period, long tuberization period
and larger tubers at harvest. On the other hand, old seed has rapid emergence, more stem per hill, shorter tuber bulking period, uniform tuber set and smaller tuber at harvest. So it is advisable to go for young seed.
3. When planting potatoes, another thing to consider is the temperature they are exposed to. Potatoes require cool weather and temperature is the main yield reducing factor. Tuber growth is adversely affected by temperature below 10 degree Celsius and above 30 degree Celsius. Better growth and optimum yields can be obtained when the mean daily temperature they are exposed to is below 18 to 20 degree Celsius. Because of this nature, it is advisable to plant in early spring in temperate zones or late in winter in warmer regions. With mid temperature and high solar radiation, potatoes can be grown throughout the year.
4. The adaptability nature of potatoes makes them grow well, even without ideal soil and growing conditions. However, they are susceptible to pests and disease. To prevent build-up of pathogens in the soil, they should be grown in rotations of 3 or more years, alternating with dissimilar crops. This is to break potato pests’ development cycle. Potatoes can be grown on any type of soil, except saline and alkaline soils. Loamy and sandy loam soils that are rich in organic matter are suitable. Naturally loose soils that can offer the least resistance to enlargement of the tubers are preferable. Soil must also be well drained and aeration.
5. Potato plants require care once planted so as to ensure they are healthy. Weeds must be controlled to give the crop competitive advantage. Potatoes grow underground, so it is important that they do not get exposed to sunlight, as they
may turn green and become inedible. Cautions should be taken to avoid pest and diseases. Integrated pest management programme should be used to reduce pest. Also adoption of crop rotation, use of resistant potato varieties can help prevent the spread of nematodes.
6. When potato plant’s leaves are becoming yellow and tubers are easy to separate from their stolon, then the crop has reached maturity. If not meant for immediate consumption, potatoes should be left in the soil to allow their skins to thicken. This is to prevent storage diseases and shrinkage due to loss of water. However, they should not be left for too long in the soil as it increases their exposure to a fungal incrustation called black scurf.
7. Newly harvested tubers are living tissue so they can easily deteriorate. So to prevent post-harvest losses, there is need for proper storage facility. To prevent greening, weight losses and quality loss, tubers should be kept at a temperature of 6 to 8 degree Celsius, in a dark, well ventilated environment with high relative humidity.
2. The first thing to consider is seed age and quality. The age of potato seed can be defined in two ways, they are chronological age and physiological age. Chronological age of seed simply refers to the number of days that have passed since harvest. The physiological age is defines as the internal age of the seed which is caused by the biochemical changes taking place within the tuber. Young seed has slow emergence, longer tuber bulking period, long tuberization period
and larger tubers at harvest. On the other hand, old seed has rapid emergence, more stem per hill, shorter tuber bulking period, uniform tuber set and smaller tuber at harvest. So it is advisable to go for young seed.
3. When planting potatoes, another thing to consider is the temperature they are exposed to. Potatoes require cool weather and temperature is the main yield reducing factor. Tuber growth is adversely affected by temperature below 10 degree Celsius and above 30 degree Celsius. Better growth and optimum yields can be obtained when the mean daily temperature they are exposed to is below 18 to 20 degree Celsius. Because of this nature, it is advisable to plant in early spring in temperate zones or late in winter in warmer regions. With mid temperature and high solar radiation, potatoes can be grown throughout the year.
4. The adaptability nature of potatoes makes them grow well, even without ideal soil and growing conditions. However, they are susceptible to pests and disease. To prevent build-up of pathogens in the soil, they should be grown in rotations of 3 or more years, alternating with dissimilar crops. This is to break potato pests’ development cycle. Potatoes can be grown on any type of soil, except saline and alkaline soils. Loamy and sandy loam soils that are rich in organic matter are suitable. Naturally loose soils that can offer the least resistance to enlargement of the tubers are preferable. Soil must also be well drained and aeration.
5. Potato plants require care once planted so as to ensure they are healthy. Weeds must be controlled to give the crop competitive advantage. Potatoes grow underground, so it is important that they do not get exposed to sunlight, as they
may turn green and become inedible. Cautions should be taken to avoid pest and diseases. Integrated pest management programme should be used to reduce pest. Also adoption of crop rotation, use of resistant potato varieties can help prevent the spread of nematodes.
6. When potato plant’s leaves are becoming yellow and tubers are easy to separate from their stolon, then the crop has reached maturity. If not meant for immediate consumption, potatoes should be left in the soil to allow their skins to thicken. This is to prevent storage diseases and shrinkage due to loss of water. However, they should not be left for too long in the soil as it increases their exposure to a fungal incrustation called black scurf.
7. Newly harvested tubers are living tissue so they can easily deteriorate. So to prevent post-harvest losses, there is need for proper storage facility. To prevent greening, weight losses and quality loss, tubers should be kept at a temperature of 6 to 8 degree Celsius, in a dark, well ventilated environment with high relative humidity.
REFERENCES
Interempresas media S.L / 2020
International year of the Potato; 2008
wikipedia
www.Indiaagronet.com; 2016
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