Scientific Potato Cultivation Method in India for High Yield

Potato Cultivation is the king of vegetables. No one has passed such a day without eating potatoes, whether poor or rich. That’s why the potato is one of the major crops of the Rabi season, called a famine crop. In terms of production, the yield potential of potato crops is more than other crops. In India, potato cultivation is primarily done in Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana and Madhya Pradesh. And potato cultivation is farmers’ first choice due to its high yield.

Potato Cultivation is one such crop which helps protect the growing population from malnutrition and hunger. It is rich in nutrients and contains 14% starch, 2% sugar, 2% protein and 1% mineral salts. It also has 0.1% fat and a small number of vitamins.

Land and Climate for Potato Cultivation

Flat and medium elevation fields are more suitable for potato cultivation. Also, well-drained loamy soil and sandy loam soil with a pH value between 5.5 to 5.7 are best for it. 

Rabi season is suitable for potato cultivation. The temperature during the day should be 25 to 30 degrees Celsius, and the night temperature must be 15 to 20 degrees Celsius for this season. At the same time, it should not be more than 20 to 25 degrees Celsius at the time of tuber formation. 

Preparation of Land

For the preparation of the field, we should do 3-4 ploughing in the area according to the type of soil.

As far as possible, we should do the first ploughing of the crop with the ground turning plough and the subsequent ploughing with the indigenous plough. Also, use a good tractor like Swaraj 855 for more efficient work. After each ploughing, use the patta to make the soil friable and level the field. It facilitates the development of potato tubers.

Plantation Time

The sowing time of potatoes also depends on their variety. However, on its excellent yield, the time from the last week of September to the first week of November is good.

Seed selection

Variety selection is vital for farmers. So, we have mentioned the following points, which help farmers select potato seeds.

• Always buy seeds from a reliable source like government seed store, state agriculture and horticulture department, National Seed Corporation, Agricultural University, Krishi Vigyan Kendra or regional research centre, etc.
• Apart from this, if you use self-produced seed or purchased seed from a progressive farmer, then definitely change the seed after every 3 to 4 years. You can choose the varieties of seeds according to the demand and climate in the market.

Potato Varieties

Early variety (ready in 80 to 90 days) – Kufri Pukhraj or Kufri Ashoka (an average yield of 200 to 350 QTL/Hectare)

Medium varieties (ready in 100 to 120 days) –  Rajendra Aloo-1, Rajendra Aloo-2, Rajendra Aloo-3 and Kufri Kanchan (an average yield of 200 to 300 QTL/Hectare)

Late varieties (ready in 120 to 130 days) – Kufri Sundari, Kufri Alankar, Kufri Safed, Kufri Miracle, Kufri Deva and Kufri Kisan (average yield of 250 to 350 QTL/Hectare)

Some particular varieties for making chips are also available, including Kufri Chips Sona-1, Kufri Chips Sona-2, Kufri Chips Sona-3 and Kufri Anand. All these varieties mature in 100-110 days. The average production of which ranges from 300 to 350 quintals per hectare.

Potato Sowing Method

Sowing potato has a different method from sowing other crops or vegetables. That’s why you should use a potato planter with the help of quality tractors like Swaraj 963 and others. 

• Potatoes dry up when planted at low depths, while seeds rot due to excess moisture when planted at high depths.
• While sowing potatoes, keep a distance of 50 to 60 cm from row to row and 15 to 20 cm from plant to plant.
• Plant growth is more in late varieties. Therefore, we should keep the sowing depth of these varieties at 60 to 70 cm and plant to plant distance at 20 to 25 cm.

In the potato sowing method, the simplest and first method is to plant potatoes on flat land and plough the soil. In this method, a line is made at 60 cm in cultivation. And potato tubers are sown at a distance of 15 to 20 cm by making a pit of 5 cm. After this, the soil is put on it.

The second method is to sow potatoes on the bunds. First of all, by making a ridge with a spade or other machines, we can plant potato seeds on it at the appropriate distance and depth. This method is suitable for soil with high moisture content.

Weeding & Hoeing

Remove weeds 20 to 25 days after planting potatoes, during which time we can plant the potatoes with some soil on the soil to settle the drains.

Irrigation Management

Water requirement for potato cultivation is less. Therefore, first irrigation should be done on the potato crops within 10-20 days. After this, little irrigation should be done at an interval of 10-15 days. During irrigation, ensure that the weed should not sink more than 2 to 3 inches.

Potato Harvesting

In the potato crop, it is underground. At the place of harvesting potatoes, farmers have to dig it. Therefore, farmers should stop irrigation 15 days before the harvest and cut the leaves 5 to 10 days before harvesting potatoes. It strengthens the skin of the potato.

After digging the potatoes, keep the potatoes in a shady place for 3 to 4 days so that the skin becomes stronger and the soil in the potato also dries up and becomes separated.

Potato storage and marketing

If you want to sell potatoes at the right price for the crop, then for this, you need storage. You can keep potatoes at your home on a thin surface for some time, but for longer storage, you should keep them in cold warehouses. So, we can extract potatoes on time and sell them in the market.

In this way, you can earn a good profit by cultivating potatoes scientifically.