Potatoes are among the most important food products. Potato productivity in Russia ranges from 115 to 137 kg / ha (in the Krasnodar Territory - 100 kg / ha), while in the USA, the Netherlands it is 400, in Canada - 250 centners. The main way to increase it is to introduce best practices, for example, the Dutch, where the greatest successes have been achieved. Practice has shown that growing potatoes using Dutch technology is promising. But is it effective in the Krasnodar Territory?
The main objective of Dutch technology is to create a loose, optimal soil structure. The soil for planting is prepared very carefully, deeply processed in the fall, in the spring so that a well-loosened moist layer forms at least 7-8 cm from above.
Potato precursors. Of great importance is that it grew to potatoes on this soil, that is, which culture was the predecessor. The Dutch consider winter crops to be the best. With autumn plowing, organic fertilizers are applied under the predecessor. Mineral fertilizers are first scattered, and then scented during cultivation, that is, shallow.
Fertilizing, soil preparation, tuber treatment
The Dutch pay special attention to the application of nitrogen, with 2/3 of the norms being planted in the soil before planting (ammonium nitrate), and 1/3, as top dressing, is applied 20 days after germination. Phosphorus in the form of superphosphate, potassium in the form of potassium sulfate is introduced in the spring, before planting.
In spring, the land is not plowed, but cultivated by a cultivator, that is, loosened superficially to a depth of not more than 12-14 cm.
Exceptional importance is attached to the quality of planting material. It should be characterized by high reproduction, one hundred percent varietal purity, germination, and the size of tubers with a diameter of 3-6 centimeters. Mandatory seed dressing.
Holland potato planting technology
The Dutch everywhere use a ridge method of planting with aisles of 70 centimeters wide. Typically, combs are cut 3-4 days before the tubers are planted. For planting, only previously germinated seed potatoes are used.
Another important condition is a shallow (10-12 cm) planting of tubers in the ridges. This technique has several advantages. It accelerates the emergence of friendly seedlings (up to 2 weeks), contributes to better development of plants. Tubers are tied, formed faster, the growth of roots, stolons is accelerated, stems and leaves develop well. These benefits are especially good during wet seasons.
Processing potatoes from diseases. Against late blight, according to Dutch technology, 5-7 treatments are performed. The first is completed before the onset of signs of the disease (before the closure of potato tops), and the next after 7-10 days. Before phytophthora, contact preparations are used. After its appearance, systemic drugs (ridomil, arceride).
Preparing for the cleaning. Harvesting is preceded by the destruction of the tops chemically (desiccation) or mechanically with the help of a botvodrobitel, as well as by combining them. After the destruction of the tops, the tubers stand for ten days or more to form the peel. Only after such exposure they begin to harvest.
Features of storing potatoes in the Netherlands
Many Dutch farmers use small storage facilities to store their crops. With ventilation and a temperature of 4-5 degrees, potatoes are stored for up to 8-9 months, and the losses for such a long period do not exceed 1.5-2%.
Why can not you fully copy the Dutch technology in the Kuban? Is it possible to completely copy Dutch technology? The answer is unequivocal - no.
Dutch technology is primarily developed for its varieties and soil and climate conditions. And these are light sandy and sandy loamy soils, moderate temperature during the growing season, and plenty of moisture. An important factor is the high level of material and technical base, which includes a set of the most effective equipment used for soil preparation, plant care and crop storage.
A sharp contrast is the conditions for the cultivation of potatoes in our Kuban. These are chernozems heavy in mechanical composition, high night and day temperatures, moisture deficiency, infectious background, lack of fertilizers, herbicides, and specialized equipment.
What can be taken from the Dutch experience in growing potatoes? If not the whole technology, then many of its elements are not just what can be, but need to be applied.
Let's start with the use of Dutch varieties. The Dutch catalog contains more than 115 varieties. Of course, they are maximally adapted to their local cultivation conditions. There is not a single variety that would give equally good results under different agroclimatic conditions. For this reason, most Dutch varieties are not suitable for our conditions. But there are varieties that are of practical interest to us.
For example, the middle strip of Russia. Many farms in this zone have already begun to cultivate such varieties as Diamond, Escort, Cardinal, Premier, Fresco, Korine, which have high food technological properties, increased plasticity, that is, adaptability to different soil and climatic conditions.
Based on the experience of Dutch potato growers for the conditions of the Krasnodar Territory, we recommend the following technology.
At the beginning it is very important to choose a place. For the southern zones of Russia, which includes the Krasnodar Territory, characterized by high temperatures, lack of rain, potato crops should be placed on well-moistened soils. Since potatoes are picky about loose soils, it is possible to regularly add sand, peat, and organic matter. This greatly improves the mechanical structure of the soil, facilitates its processing, and increases productivity.
One of the best precursors for potatoes is virgin soil. Virgin land will allow you to get high yields without applying large doses of fertilizer. However, if it is not possible to leave the area unoccupied, then beets, cabbage, cucumber, carrots give good results, like previous crops.
An important agricultural element is soil preparation. Potatoes are very sensitive to its density. If the soil is poorly cut, compacted, then the plants are poorly developed, the tubers are deformed. Therefore, without careful processing of our Kuban chernozems, it is impossible to get high yields.
The soil must begin to be prepared in the fall. It is advisable to cut ridges in the autumn in the area that is planned for planting potatoes. The ridges are cut by cultivators from north to south. The distance between the ridges is 70 centimeters. The height of the ridge is up to 20 centimeters.
In winter, under the influence of rain, snow, frost, large clods are crushed and settle somewhat. Therefore, in the spring, as soon as the soil warms up, cultivators carry out pre-planting loosening of ridges and local application of mineral fertilizers.
Before planting, seed potatoes must be prepared. The first method is the removal of patients that are atypical for the variety of tubers, sorting them into fractions: small (25-50 g), medium (51-80 g) and large (81-120 g).
An important technique is planting potatoes with sprouted tubers. This simple agricultural technique provides uniform early seedlings. Shoots appear 10-14 days earlier than when planting ungrown tubers. This increases the proportion of fractions of large tubers by 13-17%, and also increases productivity by 20-40%. In practice, this is characteristic of all varieties.
2-3 weeks before planting, the selected calibrated seeds are germinated with natural light at a temperature of 10-25 degrees. Tuber germination is designed so that the planting length of green sprouts does not exceed 1.5-2 cm. For these purposes, boxes of various designs and mesh bags are used.
It is very important to choose the optimal landing time. On the one hand, sowing even 10 days later than the optimum period reduces yield by 17-20%. But on the other hand, very early landings are undesirable. The optimum soil temperature at a depth of 15 cm for seed germination is not lower than + 7 ° C. At lower temperatures, stolons with a large number of nodules appear prematurely on the surface of the tubers. That is, tuber growth occurs. This phenomenon is most often observed when planting in cold (below + 7 ° C) soil.
Based on this, it is recommended to plant potatoes as soon as the soil warms up to 7-9 ° C. This usually happens when the average daily air temperature is set above + 10 ° C (third decade of March).
However, in the Kuban, to get an early harvest, seeds are often planted already during the “February windows”. Therefore, it is very important to choose a variety that, in addition to all the positive signs, should tolerate a cold snap without undergrowing. Most of all, our varieties meet these requirements: T-shirt (folk selection) and Reserve.
Potato tubers with well-developed strong sprouts are planted by the comb method: on heavy soils to a depth of 6-8 cm, on light soils - 10-12 cm. The distance between the bushes on production crops is 30-35 cm, on seed - 22-24 cm .
If it is not possible to use the comb method of cultivation, then you can apply the usual method of smooth landing with elements of Dutch technology. Autumn soil preparation is the same as with comb technology, but without cutting ridges.
If according to traditional technology, the landing depth is 14 cm or more, then according to the Dutch - 6-8 centimeters. When planting, a ridge up to 10 cm high is formed. Two weeks later, when the first seedlings begin to appear, they begin to form ridges. The height of the ridge is 22-24 cm. The distance from the soil surface to the tuber is 10-12 cm.
Potato planting care is the most important agrotechnical complex of measures. This is weed control, maintenance of loose soil, chemical care system. The main objective is the suppression of weeds, diseases and pests.
The first period of plant life is the most critical - the foundations of a future crop are laid. The better the conditions for the growth and development of young plants, the more powerful the root system, the more productive stolons are formed, the vegetative mass is formed faster.
Seeds of many annual weeds germinate within 4-5 days after planting. Therefore, it is important not to be late with the first treatment, to destroy the sprouted but not yet sprouted weeds that are in the white string phase. In this case, up to 80% of sprouted, but not yet sprouted weeds are destroyed. In addition, in the spring after planting potatoes, it often rains, contributing to the formation of soil crust, which disrupts normal gas exchange. This leads to slower tuber germination. To obtain earlier friendly seedlings every 7-10 days, pre-emergence loosening of the soil with choppers or cultivators is carried out.
After emergence, the soil is cultivated 2-3 times. The soil, prone to compaction, is treated to a depth of 14-17 cm. On sandy loam sections, the depth of cultivation is 8-12 centimeters. The last mechanical tillage - before closing the tops, when the plants reach a height of 15-20 cm - carry out deep hilling.
However. if the potato field is heavily clogged, then mechanical weed control may not be sufficient. Then, as an addition to them, it is necessary to use chemical control measures. But we must remember that herbicides for the destruction of weeds, as a rule, are used before the emergence of potato shoots. And after this period, it is recommended to use only machining.
For the effective use of herbicides, soil characteristics are considered. The minimum rate of the preparation is taken on light soils by the mechanical composition of the soil, and the maximum on heavy chernozems.
After applying the herbicides, subsequent mechanical tillage is recommended not earlier than 6-8 days after spraying.
Great damage to potato plantings is caused by late blight. During the cold rainy spring, this disease can completely destroy the crop. Therefore, for prophylaxis per season, 1-3 sprayings with fungicides are recommended.
To combat late blight, drugs of both contact and systemic effects are used. The difference between them is this: contact preparations act only on the surface of plants. After the rains they are washed off, their action ceases. Systemic fungicides enter the plant tissue and can protect the plant from disease for a longer time (12-15 days).
The main contact fungicides against late blight: copper chloride, polycarbacin, 1% Bordeaux liquid.
Systemic drugs: arceride, ridomil, tubaride, etc. Each drug has its own consumption rate, read the instructions before use.
The first preventive spray against late blight is usually recommended during the formation of the buds. However, if the spring turned out to be cold, rainy, processing should begin much earlier. Against late blight, it is not recommended to use only contact or, conversely, only systemic drugs. The best effect is obtained by alternating them.
The Colorado potato beetle inflicts heavy crop losses. If in the middle zone of Russia, as a rule, two or (very rarely) three generations of this pest are reproduced per season, then in our south it is 4-6. Therefore, in order to effectively combat this dangerous pest, it is necessary to carefully select both insecticides and well know at what stages of the development of the beetle they should be used.
The greatest effect of the known drugs from the Colorado potato beetle is shown: decis; karate cymbush; Ambush and others. The most sensitive stage of the development of a beetle to insecticides is the stage of larvae. If the timing of the fight against the Colorado potato beetle and late blight is the same, the processing can be combined. That is, dissolve, mix fungicide and insecticide together, process the plantings.
Potato is a crop demanding on soil moisture. The highest yields are obtained when, during the growing season, soil moisture is not lower than 75%. A particularly critical period of moisture demand is the time of tuber tying, which coincides with the stage of budding. The lack of moisture at this time leads, as a rule, to sharp (up to 40%) crop shortages; these losses cannot be compensated for by later irrigation or rains.
In the conditions of the Krasnodar Territory, the spring period is most often cool and rainy, i.e. watering can not be carried out. However, starting from the stage of budding, when tubers grow and develop (June), high temperatures and drought are most often observed. It is necessary to carry out at least 2-3 irrigation. Without watering, not only productivity decreases, but its rapid degeneration is observed.
It is necessary to start harvesting potatoes from mid-July (in the Kuban), when the natural death of the leaves of the lower tier begins. Delay in harvesting even for ten days leads to a very negative result: under the influence of heat, drought, tubers gradually leave their dormant state. Already in October-November they begin to sprout.
The first agricultural technique during harvesting: removing the tops. To do this, you can use the chemical method. This is desiccation of tops with a 3-5% solution of magnesium chlorate or reglon. But a simpler and more affordable method is mechanical, using a scythe or a bot forger.
7-10 days after removing the tops, when a thick protective skin is formed on the tubers, they begin to harvest the potatoes.Dry sunny days are very suitable for this. When harvesting in wet rainy weather, the tubers must be dried.
Before transferring potatoes for winter storage, it must undergo a treatment period. For this, tubers are placed in a shaded cool place for 7-10 days, most often under a canopy. These conditions contribute to the formation of cork tissue, which contributes to better storage of tubers.
In conclusion, it should be said that in the conditions of the Krasnodar Territory, not all elements of the Dutch technology for growing potatoes can be observed. However, when the goal is to get the maximum possible yield, it is necessary to strictly observe literally all the links of the technology: from the choice of varieties, high quality seed material to the use of modern, highly effective agrotechnical methods of cultivation.