More than 100 countries worldwide cultivate potatoes in temperate, subtropical, and tropical climates.
Almost any type of soil, with the exception of saline and alkaline soils, can be used to grow potatoes. The best soils are loamy and sandy loams that are rich in organic matter, have adequate drainage, and have good aeration since they are naturally loose and present the least opposition to the tubers’ ability to enlarge. The optimal pH range for soil is 5.2 to 6.4.
Seed treatment: After being taken out of cold storage, potato seed or tubers need to be kept in a cool, shaded area for one to two weeks to allow sprouts to appear. To induce consistent sprouting, tubers can be treated with gibberellic acid (1g/lit of water), dried, and then maintained in an air-conditioned space for 10 days. Put tubers in a 0.5 percen ᴍᴀɴcozed solution for 10 minutes to prevent rotting.
Planting: Potato crops should be planted at a distance of 50 x 20 cm and 60 x 25 cm. With a seeding density of 1.40 kilogram per 10 m2 of space. For the proper ᴍᴀɴagement of soil aeration, temperature, and moisture, earthing up operations are carried out. When the plant reaches a height of 15-20 cm, this procedure involves drawing up the dirt around the plant’s base to allow for optimum tuber production. If necessary, the second earthing procedure can be carried out two weeks after the first one.
Irrigation requirement: Depending on the soil’s moisture level, potato crops need frequent irrigation. After 3–4 days of sowing, pre-sowing irrigation is followed by a total of 5–6 light irrigations. Irrigation needs to be halted 10–12 days before harvest.
Harvesting potato: The potato vines should be cut back two weeks before the potatoes are pulled out to make harvesting easier. Potatoes are harvested with a spading fork, a plow, or industrial potato harvesters that stomp the plant and shake or blow the soil off the tubers, depending on the size of the output. Avoiding bruising or other injuries during harvest is crucial since these act as entry routes for storage pathogens.
Storage: In order to prevent post-harvest ʟᴏsses of potatoes intended for fresh consumption or processing and to ensure an adequate supply of seed tubers for the following cropping season, proper storage is essential for newly harvested tubers because they are living tissue and as such susceptible to deterioration.
However, different varieties of potatoes might take anywhere from 70 to 120 days to grow. It is tempting to harvest potatoes as soon as possible and enjoy them in meals. Therefore, some potatoes will require a little more patience while the early season potatoes will be ready to eat by the end of May or the beginning of June.
Let’s see Potato Cultivation and Farming Technique Step By Step Harvesting Potato in the ᴀᴡᴇsome video below.
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