Potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) plants included into pieces two (dikotil) of the family Solanaceae. This plant is an annual plant and has the ability to reproduce vegetatively through the tubers. Potato cultivation will flourish in colder climates, the high temperature causes the plant can not form bulbs.
Classification
- Kingdom: Plantae
- Division: Spermatophyta,
- Sub Division: Angiospermae,
- Class: Dicotyledonae,
- Order: solanales,
- Family: Solanaceae,
- Genus: Solanum
- Species: Solanum tuberosum
Terms Growing Potato
Before you know how to plant and stage of potato cultivation method, you should know in advance the requirements grow this plant. If you have land in accordance with the criteria required for planting potatoes, then you can start planting potatoes today.
- Potato planting is suitable to be planted in our country. However, this plant will grow optimally in a cool area, in the highlands for example. Potatoes grown in the lowlands with less cold temperatures will produce small-sized potatoes.
- Potatoes are a type of plant that requires moderate rainfall that is 1,500 mm per year.
- Potatoes grow optimally at temperatures between 15-18 degrees Celsius at night and 24-30 degrees Celsius during the day. Such temperatures can be obtained in the cool temperate regions such as in the mountains for example.
- Potato crops should be planted in areas not windy. Why is that? Because the wind is less suitable for this kind of tuber crops where the wind can easily blow away a variety of viruses and diseases that are harmful to potato crops.
Potato cultivation start
As well as the cultivation of other crops, there are several stages of potato cultivation techniques that you should look. Here are some steps on how to plant potatoes:
Tillage
First thing to note in the cultivation of potatoes is the state of the soil that will be used, whether a state of loose soil or solid. Required for solid ground piracy or hoeing to a depth of approximately 30 cm. After completion of plowed soil settling for 2-3 days, then raked 5 cm, then let stand for one week. For loose soil conditions, with enough processing raked it, then let it sit for one week. Time omission until one week aims to improve soil aeration.
It should also be noted soil moisture conditions. Potatoes are a sensitive crop, state land can not be too wet or too dry. Many cultivation of potatoes which foundered because it does not pay attention to soil moisture. If the wet soil conditions, prepare the irrigation system in the form of a slightly elevated mound. When dry soil conditions do the watering. After passing one week leveled ground and made mound. The width of the ridges are generally 80 cm with a height of 5 cm.
Potato crop fertilization
On the surface, the ridges scatter manure, or can also be made holes to put fertilizer centrally to avoid erosion of fertilizer. Manure that is ideal for the cultivation of potatoes is 20-50 tons per hectare, depending on soil fertility. In addition to manure, add as much as 350 kg NPK per hectare. NPK mode of administration can be deployed centrally or by making holes near the bulbs are planted on ridges.
Other articles : how to make your own organic fertilizer and liquid organic fertilizer.
Planting seed potatoes
Before you are ready for planting, seed tubers need to be stored for approximately three months. Functions that can be caught tubers sprout well, because the potato tubers have dormancy period. Tubers have sprouted, trimming buds do the selection. Shoots longer than 2 cm discarded, because the shoots that are too long is not good for grown. Weight bulbs are good for around 30-50 grams of seeds per fruit.
Place the tubers which have been trimmed in the ridges, above the manure that has been deployed at or near pits that had been given fertilizer. Spacing the mounds range from 20-30 cm. After the bulbs are placed, piled with soil to form the ridges as high as 10-15 cm. Let the left and right of the ridges forming trenches for drainage.
Other Articles : Seed One Of The Determinants For Successful Farming.
Maintenance of potato plants
Maintenance actions consist of watering, the mounds, weed control, pest control and plant diseases. Plant maintenance period in potato cultivation requires a high degree of accuracy. Potato plant maintenance schedule should be disciplined and obedient.
Watering plants
Watering is done according to the soil and weather conditions. In humid and often rains, relatively not require watering. If the new state of the soil looks dry do the watering, but it should be noted the condition of the soil should not be too wet, let alone to be flooded.
Weeding
Weeding is done in conjunction with the repair ridges. Usually done after one month of planting. Weeds can be cleaned with a sickle or leftovers, after the weeds cleared mounds repaired. The next weeding is done after a two-month-old plants. After that, no longer needed weeding, because the plants are lush canopy so difficult weeds to grow.
Pest and disease control
Pest and disease control is very important in the cultivation of potatoes. The productivity of potato plants is influenced by plant health condition. Spraying fungicides and insecticides began a 10-day-old plants. Interval spraying is done twice a week, or depending on the symptoms of damage are visible.
Medicines are given in the form of fungicide and insecticide. The recommended concentration in accordance with the instructions for use on the label. In addition to spraying, pest and disease control can be done also with crop rotation. Do crop rotation with legumes or pulses. Time crop rotation takes at least 2-3 years, new land can be planted with potatoes again.
The types of pests and diseases commonly found in potato cultivation, among others:
- Late blight (Phytophthora infestans)
- Bacterial wilt (Pseudomonas solanacearum)
- Spotting software (Altenaria solani)
- Fusarium wilt (Fusarium oxysporum)
- Leaf roll virus (PLRV)
- Root knot nematodes (Meloidogyne spp.)
- Caterpillar roll (Phthorimae Operculella)
- Rhizoctonia solani
- Viruses (viruses X, Y virus, virus S)
- Epilachna Puntata
- Ground caterpillar (Agrotis Ipsilon)
- Green aphids (Myzus persicae and Aphis Nasturtii)
- Mole-cricket (Cryllotalpa Sp.)
Other Articles : how to make your own natural fungicide and natural Pesticides.
Harvesting of potato cultivation
Age potato until ready to harvest depends on the variety, high land and the seasons. In general the cultivation cycle of the potato tuber ready to be harvested between 80-120 days. Harvesting must be considered, not too early or too old. Harvest too early, making potato quality is low because the formation of carbohydrates in the development of bulbs are still not optimum. While harvesting too old potato tubers increases the risk of developing the disease and damaged.
To check the readiness of the harvest, potato tubers dug at random. Sampling should be done evenly so as to represent the location of planting. The roots are taken seen the level of maturity. Or, if we are already skilled can by watching the shape and color of the leaves. Plants that are ready for harvest, the green color of the leaves began to fade and look dry.
Harvesting can be done with a fork, in this case must be considered right not to fork injure tubers. If the fear of damaged tubers exposed to stab a fork, harvesting can be done with a hand hoe. With this tool, the smaller the risk of damage, but the harvesting process is longer. After the tubers dug up, let some time or drying for a few moments. So that the layer of soil that surrounds the bulb is easy to clean. Then boxed potato tubers into the sack or basket.
Thus a brief discussion about Knowing the True Potato Cultivation Tips For Results Abundant, and please read the guide also cultivating other crops, including strawberry plant in a pot guide, guide the cultivation of corn, planting guide orchids, guide planting ginger in a pot, and guide the cultivation of bananas. And maybe useful for the readers, especially those interested in developing the potato crop in the region, the point should not be afraid to try and get to know more closely the plant to be cultivated, because we are the ones who will care for and maintain it, it is one of the factors for success in cultivation. and do not forget to share it with others so that this information could be useful again.