Planting

March 29, 2021 | Blogs

What are the working practices and common patterns in potato planting?

To optimally intercept solar radiation, the grower needs to create a crop that covers the soil with green foliage as fast as possible after planting. Planting the seed tubers superficially helps as this assures a rapid emergence. Planting seed tubers in a square pattern to rapidly allow plants to touch each other between and within…

February 22, 2021 | Blogs

Decisions at planting: Potato planting material

Planting potato tubers means entrusting to the soil two aspects of propagation material. First there is the genetic material, a species and variety aimed at growing a crop adapted to the local conditions, resistant to the prevailing pests and diseases and producing the right quality specifications.

May 11, 2020 | Blogs

Botanical seed in potato production: Early use of True Potato Seed

In Chapter three of the Potato Handbook, the propagation material of the potato plant is discussed. When True Potato Seed (TPS) is used as propagation material, it has the advantage that the usual seed tuber-borne pests and diseases such as fungi, bacteria, viruses and nematodes are not transmitted. TPS may be derived from open pollination…

May 04, 2020 | Blogs

Propagation material of the potato plant – Seed tubers

The third chapter of our Potato Handbook discusses the propagation material of the potato plant. This consists of the genetic component – its genotype (species and variety) and the physical component – its seed tuber. The seed tuber as propagation material is determined, besides genotype, by its size, age, appearance, sprouting condition and health.

March 30, 2020 | Blogs

Potato planting methods and systems

Seed tubers of potatoes traditionally were planted manually. In production systems without any traction other than human, this is still a widespread practice. Without use of machinery the soil is tilled by hand. Here the grower makes a shallow hole of a few cm depth. Next the seed tuber is deposited and covered with a…