Technical Informatior, Bulletin 11

Planting Potatoes

Roger Cortbaoui

.14.. W-j

Planting pntatoes

,.. INrERNATIONAL POTATO Cr.NTER (-IPi LIMA. PER!

Revised 1988
 CIP's Technical Information Bulletins (TIBs)
for
CIP's Technical Information Bulletins (TIBs) contain information
training, and research. Although the information is
potato production,
be easily adapted for
directed at an intermediate professional level, it can
communication with farmers.

ISSN 0256-8675
Information Bulletin 11.
Cortbaoui, R. 1988. Planting potatoes. Technical
Second edition, revised.
International Potato Center, Lima, Peru. 17 pp.
 Technical Information Bulletin 11

Planting Potatoes

Roger Cortbaoui

CIP Location: Tel. 366920

Apartado 5969 Av. La Universidad s/n Telex 25672 PE
Lir a, Per6 La Molina, Lima Cable CIPAPA, Lima
CIP authorizes non- Technical Information Bulletin 11
commercial reprcduc­
tion of this bulletin

Planting Potatoes

Objectives. Study of this bulletin enables you to:

" oxplain the importance of correct planting,

" desc,ibe potato emergence,
* describe the conditions for emergence, especially the influence of soil tem­
perature and humidity,
" demonstrate Fuil preparation,
" discuss plinting depth,
" discuss piantng distance,
* demonstrate planting procedures.

Study materials

* Slides showing a uniform and non-uniform crop.

* Tubers of several physiological stages,
* Tubers of several sizes.

Practicals

" Practice tuber cutting.

" Practice planting in the field, considering different soil conditions.

2
 Questionnaire

1 Why is rapid emergence impor-tant?

2 Why is uniformity of a crop important?

3 Which physiological stage results in several sprouts, good emergence, and a
uniform crop stand?
4 If only tubers with apical sprouts are available, how can you induce the
formation of multiple sprouts?
5 What are the advantages and disadvantages of using large tubers for
planting?
6 What tuber size is sufficient in most cases?
7 When and why is tuber cutting not recommended?

8 How should soil structure be?

9 How can potato cultivation be adapted to existing moisture and tempera­
ture conditions?
10 Why should you not enter the field when the soil is wet?

11 Why should you reduce the number of soil operations?

12 What are the most important factors to adjust planting depth?
13 What other factors, apart from soil moisture and temperature, are impor­
tant to determine depth of planting?
14 If experience is not available, how deep should you plant?
15 Which considerations determ'ne planting distance between rows?

16 Which considerations determine planting distance within rows?

17 What planting procedure is common in your region?

18 Which factors determine efficiency of mechanized planting?

CIP authorizes non- Technical Information Bulletin 11
commercial reproduc­
tion of this bulletin

Planting Potatoes

1 Importance of correct planting

2 Potato emergence
3 Conditions for emergence
4 Soil preparation
5 Planting depth
6 Planting distant
7 Planting procedures
8 Additional study

Correct planting ensures rapid emergence and unifotmity of a crop, both of

which are also influenced by the conditions of the seed tuber and soil. Seed
tuber conditions ate determined by physiological stage of tubers, their size and
physiological conditions. Soil conditions are determined by soi; structure, mois­
ture, and tempetature. By adjusting the planting depth, potato cultivation can
be adapted to existing conditions of moisture and temperature. Planting distance
and procedure depend on agronomic factors and local experience.

4
1 IMPORTANCE OF CORRECT PLANTING

Correct planting ensures:

- rapid emergence,
- uniformity of a crop.

Rapid emergence. Potato sprouts, before emergence from soil, are exposed to
numerous diseases and pests. Favorable growing conditions accelerate emergence
and reduce the time the sprouts are exposed to danger. Decay of seed tubers
and crop losses are reduced.

Uniformity of a crop. The uniformity of a crop is determined by the uniformity

of emergence and plant development. A uniform crop makes cultivation easier
(hilling, irrigation, spraying, and harvesting). Uniformity of plant development
is especially important in production of seed tubers. Visual identification of
disepased plants is difficult where plants are at different development stages or
irregularly distributed.

-tl

°, .- ~

Correct planting ensures rapid emergence and uniformity of a crop.

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 2 POTATO EMERGENCE

From tuber initiation, a potato tuber passes through several stages of physio­
logical development: dormancy, apical dominance, multiple sprouting, and
senility. Thus, at planting time a tuber may be:

- Dormant: no sprouts are formed, emergence is delayed and not uniform.

- Under apical dominance: only the apical sprout develops. The result is a
non-uniform crop of plants with only one stem.
- In the multiple sprouting stage: several sprouts develop that result in good
emergence and a uniform crop.
- Senile: sprouts are weak and emergence deficient.

Tubers planted at the optimum physiological stage ard under optimum growing
conditions develop sprouts rapidly. Up to the formation of sufficient foliage for
photosynthesis, the plant lives from the nutrients supplied by the seed tuber.
Then, the roots provide water and nutrients from the soil.

apical
dominance

multiple
sprouting

dormancy

initiation (~senility

From tuber initiation, a potato tuber passes through several stages of physiologi­
cal development: dormancy, apical dominance, multiple sprouting, and senility.

6
3 CONDITIONS FOR EMERGENCE

Emergence is influenced by the conditions of the

- seed tuber,
- soil.

Seod tuber conditions. Seed tuber conditions are determined by physiological

stage of tubers, their size, and physical conditions.

Physiological stage. The multiple sprouting stage is the best stage for planting,
is in­
because it generates emergence of several strong stems. Physiological age
is a good way for
fluenced by storage conditions. Storage under diffused light
sprouts that emerge rapidly
obtaining seed tubers with numerous vigorous green
and uniformly.

sprouts
If only tubers with apical sprouts are available, removal of the apical
to a uniform crop with
induces the formation of multiple sprouts and leads
several stems per plant.

tuber
Tuber size. The emerging plant lives from nutrients provided by the seed
be large enough to supply this initial demand. This is even more
that should
are lacking. Large
important when other facto s needed for good emergence
Because
tubers compensate better for poor growing conditions or frost damage.
planting of large tubers, however, is more
seed tubers are sold on a weight basis,
expensive. In most cases a medium-sized tuber is sufficient (about 50 g).

con-
Under favorable growing conditions, large tubers may be cut in pieces, each
taining at least one eye. Tuber cutting is not recommended when producing
seed tubers, because of the danger of transmitting viruses and bacteria. When
and
planting cut seed tubers, special care should be taken to avoid tuber decay
ensure rapid emergence.

to me-
Physical condition of tubers. Potato tubers and sprouts are sensitive
During handling, transport, and planting, sprouts may break
chanical damage.
to non-uniform emergence. Mechanical damage may initiate seed
off, leading
tuber decay.

7
Soil conditions. Soil conditions are determined by soil structure, moisture, and
temperature.

Soil structure. The soil should be fine, loose, and without compacted layers that
impede root penetration. Compacted layers a!so restrict drainage of water. Clods
and stones reduce root contact with the soil, cause deformation of growing
tubers, and damage tubers during planting, crop care, and harvest.

Soil moisture. The potato plant needs adequate soil moisture for emergence
and growth. The seed tuber must have good contact with moist soil. Excessive
moisture, however, reduces aeration anct consequently affects root, stolon, and
tuber growth. By adjusting the planting depth, potato cultivation can be adapted
to existing moisture conditions (Section 5).

Soil t,4mperature. Soil temperature influences the speed of sprout growth and
emergence; cool soils (below 15 "C) retard, warm soils stimulate emergence.
Too high soil temperature (night temperature above 20 °C) may impede tuber
formation. As in the case of soil moisture, by adjusting the planting depth,
potato cultivation can be adapted to existing temperature conditions.

8
 4 SOIL PREPARATION

The potato requires a soil that is well structured, loose, and without
compacted
layers. This ensures sufficient

- oxygen for the underground parts of the plant,

- moisture retention.
- drainage of excess water,

thus allowing

- good growth of roots, stolons, and tubers,

- production of well-formed tubers.

Adoitionally, soil structure influences crop management, especially

planting and
harvest.

02 o 02

P2 02

022
!~
~ ~ !ii~~~ ... iii
~ ~~~..... !i .........
..........
00

A well structured soil ensures sufficient oxygen for the underground

parts of the
plant, moisture retention, and drainage of excess water.

9
Soil preparation begins with the selection of an appropriate field, which should
neither be stony, poorly drained, ror have heavy clay soils that form clods. To
avoid soil compaction and formation of clods do not enter the field when the
soil is wet. Heavy machinery and implements compact the soil to impermeable
layers.

The soil looses moisture, every time it is moved. Reduce the number of soil
operations, especially under dry conditions.

In fine soils, an excessive number of operations may lead to surface sealing, ero­
sion, and rapid drying.

10
 5 PLANTING DEPTH

Adjust the planting depth to the most important

factor, soil moisture or soil
temperature.

Adjustment for soil moisture. Soil dries faster at the

surface. When soil is dry,
plant deep; when soil is wet, plant superficial.

Adjustment for soil temperature. During the day,

the soil is warmer at the sur­
face. When soil is warm, plant deep; when soil is cool,
plant superficial.

When soil is cool and dry, plant deep and reduce

hight of ridge later. When soil
is warm and wet, plant deep and promote good drainage.

cool warm

-- ­- - - - ---­

dry 0 0

plant deep;
reduce hight plant deep
of ridge later

wet0

plant supgrficial plant deep;

promote good drainage

Adjust the planting depth to the most important

factor, soil moisture or soil
temperature.

11
Additional factors. Deep planting protects the tuber frorm ;nfestation by dis­
eases and pests, such as late blight and potato tuber moth. Deep planting also
prevents tuber greening.

Superficial planting helps to decrease infections by diseases that survive in the

soil. Superficial planting also facilitates harvest.

Large tubers are more adaptable to deeper planting than small tubers. In certain
situations, superficial planting followed bvt high hilling may be a good way to
regulate planting depth.

Uniformity of planting depth influences in the uniformity of emergence.

If experience is not available, plant at the level of the undisturbed soil; that is,
the soil level before preparing the furrows. In following seasons plant according
to your experiences.

Deep planting protects the tuber from infestation by diseases and pests, such
as late blight and potato tuber moth (left). Superficial planting helps to decrease
infections by diseases that survive in the soil (right).

12
 6 PLANTING DISTANCE

Planting distance depends on potato variety, growing conditions,

and desired
tuber size. If soil fertility or moisture is low, the soil can maintain
fewer plants.
The higher the crop density, the smaller the size of harvested tubers.
Generally,
for production of seed tubers a higher stem density is recommended
than for
production of consumer potatoes.

When planting in furrows, the two dimensions of planting distance

- between rows and

- within rows

are determined by the following considerations.

,,,. , --- -- -

le-­
distance between rows Poo"

When planting in furrows, the two dimensions of planting distance;

rows and within rows. are: between

13
Distance between rows. Distance between rows depends on local practice, avail­
able implements, and growth habit of the variety.

Wide distance between rows

- provides more soil for ridging;

- prevents damage to plants, roots, and tubers during cultivation;
- facilitates roguing.

Narrow distance between rows

- ensures that irrigation water reaches all roots,

-- increases efficiency in the use of land, light, water, cnd nutrients.

Distance within rows. Because distance between rows is determined by factors

of crop management, the desired crop density can be regulated by spacing of he
plants within the row. For a given crop density, wide distance between rows can
be compensated by short distance of plants within rows, and vice versa.

14
7 PLANTING PROCEDURES

Local experience determines plu*t.na procedures, including fertilizer and pesti­

cide applications.

Planting by hand. You can plant seed tubers in

- furrows,
- ridges.

Planting in furrows. Use shovels, hoes, plows or ridgers to form the furrows.
Mix the fprtilizer on the bottom of the furrow with soil to avoid burning of
sprouts and roots. Plant the seed tubers at the bottom of the furrow and cover
thfm with soil.

La

Planting in furrows: form the furrows (a), mix the fertilizer with soil (b), plant
the seed tubers and cover them (c).

15
Planting in ridges. Plant the seed tubers on the side or at the center of the ridges
by opening auxiliary furrows or individual holes.

Mechanized planting. Mechanized planting, either semiautomatic or automatic,

simultaneously prepares the furrows, places the seed tubers and sometimes the
fertilizei, and covers the tubers. Efficiency of mechanized planting is deter­
mined by:

- type of machinery,
- ability of the operator,
- size of the growing area,
- slope of the land,
- quality of soil preparation,
- uniformity of seed tuber size.

Semiautomatic planters are less costly and complicated than fully automatic
planters, and may be an alternative to planting by hand where some degree of
mechanization is needed.

"', a
.got
I/ b

Planting in ridges: plant the seed tubers on the side (a) or at the center (b) of
the ridges by opening auxiliary furrows or individual holes. Ridges after hilling
(c).

16
8 ADDITIONAL. STUDY

Beukema, H.P.; Zaag, D.E. van der. 1979. Potato improvement. Some factors
and facts. International Agricultural Centre, Wageningen, Netherlands. 224 pp.

Cortbaoui, R. 1984. Roguing potatoes. Technical Information Bulletin 5.

Internatio ial Potato Center, Lima, Peu. 13 pp.

Wiersema, S. 1987. Effect of stem density on potato production. Technical

Information Bulletin 1. International Potato Center, Lima, Peru. 16 pp.

Wiemsema, S. 1985. Physiological development of potato seed tubers. Technical

Information Bulletin 20. International Potato Center, Lima, Peru. 16 pp.

Technical Information Bulletin Coordinator: Rainer Zachmann

Processed and printed by the Training and Communications Department, CIP, Lima, Peru.
Febrero 1988 Copies printed: 2000

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