How to Successfully Grow Potatoes

Background
In Zimbabwe, potatoes are one of the most consistent crops in terms of market demand for
both the formal and informal markets. Potato production can take various forms which
include the conventional field farming, the recently popular sack production, and green house
production. These guidelines predominantly focus on field production which can be done
either on large tracts of land (farm land) or home backyards.

Soil requirements
Potatoes grow well on a wide variety of soils. In some areas where potatoes are commercially
grown, the soils are acidic whereas in other areas they are alkaline. Ideal soils for potato are
deep, well-drained, and friable. Soils rich in organic matter such as peat or muck, if
adequately drained, can also produce high quality potatoes, particularly for the fresh market.
Sandy soils, which contain little clay or organic matter and have almost no soil structure
when properly irrigated and fertilised, will produce high yields of tubers with excellent
culinary and processing quality. Potatoes are more tolerant to low pH than most other crops.
Incidence of common scab tends to be less of a problem where soil pH is lower than 5.4. For
cultivars that are susceptible to common scab, the disease is often managed by maintaining
 soil pH in the range of 5.0 to 5.4. Although potatoes tolerate acid soils, there are benefits
from raising the pH up to 6.0 to 6.5.

Varieties
Variety Summer crop First irrigated crop Second irrigated crop
Yield (ton Days to Yield Days to Yield Days to
/ha) maturity (ton/ha) maturity (ton/ha) maturity
(d) (d) (d)
Garnet 23.2 98 28.4 120 25.8 120

Pimpernel 12.4 98 - - 12.4 98

Amethyst 19.5 97 11.8 108 15.7 108
BP1 22.3 - 20.8 108 21.5 -
Jasper 12.2 - 28.5 127 20.4 -

N.B The summer crop refers to all crops planted in November.

The first irrigated crop refers to all crops planted between February and April.
The second irrigated crop refers to all crops planted between late July/ early August.

Planting date
Planting times vary considerably in different regions, depending on local weather conditions,
cultivar and intended market use. The summer crop is planted in November. The first
irrigated crop is grown in February to April, whereas the second irrigated crop is grown in
late July to August. In general, potatoes should be planted when the soil temperature is higher
than 7 oC and lower than 21 oC. At the time of planting, soils should be moist but not
excessively wet. Irrigation is applied prior to planting to add moisture to dry soils. Planting
into soils that are excessively cold, hot, wet, or dry may increase the potential for seed decay.
In most cases, early establishment of a crop increases yield and dry matter potential. In
regions where the growing season length doesn’t limit the plants ability to fully mature,
planting dates are often selected in an effort to provide the crop with a growing environment
that will produce the highest economic yield for the desired market. Potatoes usually take, 90-
120 days to reach maturity.

Sprouting
Sprouting is the development of shoots in potatoes. Each tuber has two to 10 buds (or
"eyes"), arranged in a spiral pattern around its surface. The buds generate shoots that grow
into new plants when conditions are favourable. Sprouting of tubers helps to increase the
number of main stems, and consequently the crop’s final yield. Sprouting also ensures quick,
uniform and full germination. Sprouting is done by storing the tubers in the dark. Tubers
smaller than 25 mm should not be used for seed. Farmers may sprout the tubers in chitting
trays or by the force sprouting method. These methods are described below:

 Chitting trays
Potato tubers are naturally sprouted in diffuse light (darkness) but protected from strong sun.
Apply suitable pesticides to the tubers to protect them from tuber moth and aphids. If cut
tubers are used, treat them for 10-14 days at 7-8 oC and at near 100% relative humidity.
Dipping of cut tubers in fungicide drench is recommended if temperatures exceed 18 OC.
They may also be dusted with Captan or Thiram to control fungal diseases.
 Force sprouting
The method involves use of heat or acetylene.
 Heat: Cover potatoes in tarpaulin in moderate sunshine. Maintain the temperature at 30-35
0
c to initiate sprouting.
Acetyline: Pass 0.1 % of acetylene gas in an air-tight room between 21-27 oC to initiate
sprouting. About 30 g of calcium carbide will generate sufficient gas for 2 m3Authority
Immerse the tubers in an acetylene solution for 4-6 hours. The mixture is made by mixing 45
litres of water with 230 g of calcium carbide added slowly.

 Chemical sprouting

Gibberellic acid can also be applied to stimulate sprouting in potatoes. The mixture is 16
ml/100 litres of water. The seed potatoes should be dipped in the mixture for 3 - 4 minutes
and then sun-dried before storing and sprouting.
Hardening
New sprouts are generally white, thin, and fragile. In order to harden the sprouts before
planting, the sprouted tubers are put in open shade for several days. When they turn from
white to green, the tubers will be sufficiently hardened and ready for planting. Plant the
tubers 70-100 mm deep under irrigation, and up to 150 mm deep under dry land planting.
Spacings
Rows are normally 0.9 m wide and 0.3 m between plants to give a plant population of 37
000 plants/ ha. You need 75-80 pockets (30 kg) to plant out 1 ha of crop.

Fertiliser application
The potato plant has poorly developed root systems. Fertiliser is, therefore, mainly applied in
the planting furrows at the time of planting. It should be preferably be placed at the same
level as, or under, the seed tubers. Soil analysis is the basis on which fertiliser rates are
made. If there is a phosphorous requirement, it may be broadcast and incorporated into the
top soil prior to planting. The rest is applied in the planting furrows along with the nitrogen
(N) and potassium (K). Nitrogen top dressing is applied on either side of the plant row,
whereafter the rows are ridged and irrigated. It can also be applied through irrigation water.
Fertiliser granules or liquids must be washed from the plant foliage as soon as possible after
application to avoid scorching of the foliage. It is recommended that you apply Compound C
(5:15:12) as a basal fertiliser and potassium nitrate (13:0:46) as a top dressing split at 4, 8,
and 12 weeks after emergence. For fertilisation rates, please refer to 1 hectare sheets available
on the Windmill corporate website www.windmill.co.zw under the download section.
Ridging
Ridging or earthing up is simply the process of adding soil to the crop such that the bed
height is increased. Yields are increased by ridging because tubers are formed from the stems.
Ridging also improves soil aeration, and enhances tuber growth, and minimises tuber
greening. The kind and extent of ridging will depend on the planting method, kind and
severity of weed infestation, irrigation method used, and to a lesser extent, the potato cultivar
grown. If potatoes are planted in such a manner as to leave the field flat, one or more post-
planting bed shaping or ridging may be necessary. The implements for making ridges vary
considerably. However, when used properly, all can form acceptable ridges. No matter what
types of cultivating or ridging implements are used, tillage should not take place in wet soils.
Working wet soils results in compaction and clods that will present problems at harvesting
time.

Irrigation
Water management and/or rainfall are among the most important factors determining yield
and quality of potatoes. While the volume of water required for optimum growth of potatoes
varies somewhat with cultivar, relative humidity, solar radiation, day length, length of
growing season, and other environmental factors, the seasonal requirement for cultivars in
most areas will be at least 460 mm of water. As much as 760 to 910 mm of water will be
required in some specific production areas depending on soil type, weather conditions, and
potato cultivar. Water should be applied to the soil frequently in small volumes to maintain
the crop with an adequate water supply throughout all growth stages of the crop, particularly
 during tuber initiation and tuber enlargement. For irrigation scheduling decisions, the
following considerations should be kept in mind:
a) The effective rooting depth of potatoes is 0.6 m.
b) The soil should not be allowed to dry out below 65% field capacity.
c) Moisture levels above field capacity will seriously affect yield and quality.
d) Soil types can vary three-fold in their respective water holding capacities.

Weed Control
Broadleaf annual weeds, with the exception of nightshade, are usually easy to control. The
most difficult weed to control are the perennial weed species. The major perennial problem
weeds include nutsedges (Cyperus spp.), quack grass (Elytrigia repens L.), and Canada
Thistsle (Cirisium Arvenes L). In addition to causing yield reduction and decreasing harvest
efficiency, rooting structures of perennial grasses and nutsedges can penetrate potato tubers
causing severe reduction in quality. When perennial weeds are the primary problem, more
than the standard number of tillage operations may be needed for effective weed control even
though herbicides are used. Perennial weed control may be more effective and economical in
crops rotated with potatoes, such as winter wheat. More details are available on the 1 hectare
sheets on the Windmill corporate website (www.windmill.co.zw) , search under the
download section.

Pest control
Nematodes
Nematodes are microscopic invertebrate roundworms that can cause extensive damage to the
roots of host crops such as potatoes. The three main types of eelworm (nematode) found in
Zimbabwe are as follows:
1) Root-knot nematodes (Meloidogyne spp) give rise to characteristic watery blisters on the
tubers at lifting time. These subsequently collapse and present a rough surface of crinkly scar
tissue. This type is most common and economically dangerous.
2) Root-lesion nematodes (Pratylenchus spp) are characterised by lesions on tubers which are
visible as slightly raised, light to dark brown purple areas with a groove like depressed
border. Symptoms may develop during storage.
3) Burrowing nematodes (Radopholus similis).
Apply Curaterr, Nemacur, and Fenamiphos 40 EC to the soil as you plant the seed.

Cutworms (Agrostis spp)

Cutworms are the larvae (caterpillars) of several species of night-flying moths in the family
Noctuidae. The larvae are called cutworms because they cut down young potato plants as
they feed on stems at or below the soil surface. There are also species of climbing cutworms
that move up potato plants and feed upon foliage, buds and shoots. The adults are night-
flying moths and do not cause damage. Apply Monocron and Lambda as guided by the
Windmill I hectare sheets.

Tuber moth
The potato tuber moth, or as it is sometimes called, tobacco leaf miner, Phthorimaea
operculella, is a small greyish-brown moth with narrow fringed wings and a wingspan of
about 15 mm. The forewings are darkish with indistinct paler markings, and the hind-wings
are dirty white. The moths are active at night, and rest under clods of earth or leaves during
the daylight hours. The caterpillars tunnel between upper and lower leaf surfaces, damage
stems thus cutting off nutrient supply, and also tunnel the tubers. They reach a length of about
10 mm when full-grown. Apply Curater or Carbaryl. Refer to Windmill’s 1 hectare sheets for
application rates.
Aphids
Green peach, melon or potato aphid may occur in potato, colonising from mid-June through
July. These aphids are important because they can transmit several diseases such as Leaf roll,
Necrotic virus Y, and virus Y. Potato aphid is the largest aphid of the three, 3 to 4 mm long,
and may be pink or green. Plants of the rose family serve as alternate hosts to potato aphid in
autumn and spring. A wide range of weeds, field crops and vegetable crops are hosts in
summer. In potato, they feed first on young growing tips and spreading downwards onto
older leaves. Damage includes leaf deformity and dieback. Aphids spread viruses to seed and
table stock potatoes which can reduce yields and quality. High populations of aphids can
cause foliage decline.

Fields should be scouted for aphids starting in late June. Examine aphids/leaf on 50 fully
grown compound leaves (5 leaves at ten locations in the field) from top, middle and bottom
of the canopy. In fresh market and processing potato, the threshold for insecticide application
is when an average of 5 aphids per leaf are present, or 10 per leaf within 2 weeks. The
economic threshold for table stock and processing fields is when aphids are found on 50% of
the plants.

Potato leaf hopper

Low levels of leaf hopper feeding can severely damage plants and cause symptoms known as
hopper burn. Leaves yellow, turn brown and die. Adults are light green and wedge shaped,
while nymphs are bright green, flatter and fatter than adults, and move sideways in a crab like
fashions. Sample with sweep net and treat if more than one adult per sweep is found. Nymphs
can be monitored by visually inspecting lower leaf surfaces on the lower leaves. Treatment if
more than nymphs are found per 50 leaves. Cabaryl 85 WP can be used to control leaf
hoppers.

Red spider mite

Red spider mite refers to small, red coloured arachnid that feeds on the sap of plants. Mites
are difficult to see without magnification. They are generally small in size with eight legs.
They can vary in colour from light orange to deep orange red or brown. The red spider mite
can be found on both sides of leaves. In high infestations, dense webbing can mummify
plants. Leaf defoliation follows infestation and plants may die in several attacks. Red spider
mite can be controlled by applying Dimethoate as guided by the Windmill I hectare sheet.

False wireworms
Wireworms are the subterranean larval stage of click beetles (Coleoptera: Elateridae). They
are pests of many agricultural crops including corn, sorghum, small grains, tobacco, and
various vegetables, but are particularly damaging to potatoes, since the marketable portion of
that crop is in the soil. Wireworms are omnivores, preferentially feeding on other soil insects
or roots of grasses and weeds. In agricultural crops, where weeds are killed and land is
cultivated, wireworms seek out the only food available, which are the underground portions
of the planted crop. Wireworms may injure potatoes by feeding on the seed piece resulting in
weak stands, but the majority of their damage is caused by tunnelling into tubers, which
reduces yield quality. Wireworm tunnelling also creates an entry point for certain plant
pathogens, eventually leading to tuber rot. In some years and regions of the U.S., up to 45%
of the total potato tuber harvest has been down-graded or rejected outright because of
wireworm injury, resulting in substantial economic loss. Wireworms can be controlled by
Pyrinex as guided by the 1 hectare sheet.

Disease control
Fungi attack all parts of a plant and under favourable conditions, fungi can damage plant
translocation tissues killing them in a relatively short period of time. Some of the most
common fungal diseases include damping off, leaf spot, anthracnose and rust. Some of the
fungi are responsible for foliar diseases – Downy mildews; Powdery mildews; and early and
late blight. Other fungi – Clubroot; Pythium species; Fusarium species; Rhizoctonia species;
Sclerotinia and Sclerotium species – are soil borne diseases. Plant diseases caused by bacteria
are not as prevalent as those caused by fungi. Damage caused by bacterial infection results
primarily in rotting of the plant tissue. The following is a select list of symptoms related to
fungi and bacteria:
 POTATO SYMPTOMS REMEDY
FUNGAL/BACTERIA
DISEASES
Early blight (Alternaria Dark brown , round lesions, Copper Oxychloride 85 WP,
solani) with concentric rings develop Dithane M45
on the leaves and yellowing.
Late blight (Phytophthora Small, light green, circular to Copper Oxychloride 85 WP,
infestans) irregularly shaped water Dithane M45, Ridomil Gold.
soaked spots. The lesions
usually appear on the older
leaves and often begin to
develop near the tips or edges
of leaves, where dew drops
form.
Common Scab (Streptonyces Powdery scab lesions are Quintozene 75 WP.
scabies) smaller and almost round with
clearly defined edges. The
first tuber symptoms are
lightbrown, raised areas as
small as a pinhead. The
lesions enlarge and the skin
covering the lesions tears to
reveal hollows filled with
dark brown to black, powdery
spore balls.
Bacterial wilt (Pseudomonas wilting of the youngest Ensure soil is sterilised if the
solanacearum) leaves, usually during the soil has a history of wilting.
hottest part of the day. This
can easily go unnoticed
because the leaves stay green
but eventually the entire plant
wilts and dies.
For more please refer to the Windmill 1 hectare sheet on www.windmill.co.zw
Physiological disorders
Common physiological disorders of potato foliage include frost, hail lightening, wind-burn,
and air pollution damage. Damage from these disorders can be distributed uniformly across a
field, but may also occur in a pattern associated with a specific topographic features such as a
low spot or ridge. Foliar disorders are often mistaken for insect, disease or herbicide damage.
Tuber physiological disorders are usually not detected until after harvest, which makes it
difficult to identify patterns of occurrence in the field. Physiological disorders are usually not
detected until after harvest which makes it difficult to identify patterns of occurrence in the
field. Physiological disorders reduce the marketability of tubers by damaging their
appearance or reducing processing quality. In some cases, these defects also make the tubers
more susceptible to decay. Common disorders that produce symptoms on the outside of the
tuber include growth cracks, secondary growth (also called knobs, dumbbells, and
malformed), heat sprouts, enlarged lenticels, and greening. Growth cracks and secondary
growth are associated with non-uniform growing conditions. Heat sprouts are caused by high
soil temperatures that cause the stolon’s to elongate and emerge from the soils. Lenticels may
be enlarged when the tubers are exposed to very wet soil for prolonged periods. The tubers
turn green in response to light exposure in the filed or after harvest.

Disorders that produce symptoms on the inside of tubers include hollow heart, internal
necrosis (also called heat necrosis and internal brown spot), sugar end (also called translucent
end, dark end jelly end rot) and blackheart. Hollow heart (irregular caviting caused by rapid
or irregular growth) is caused by non-uniform plant growth early in the development of
tubers, especially when accompanied by cool, wet soil conditions and excessive nitrogen
fertilisation. Internal necrosis or browning is associated with hot, dry weather and high soil
temperatures during tuber bulking. It is common on acid or phosphate deficient soils. Sugar
end is associated with high soil temperatures and water stress during early tuber development.
It most commonly occurs on the stolon end of the tuber and is not apparent until after
processing. Black heart (black centre of tuber)is caused when tubers are exposed to low
oxygen conditions. Improper storage ventilation, high temperatures after harvest, or extended
low temperatures in storage all favour black heart disorder.

Many of the defects discussed above are associated with extremes in environmental
conditions that cannot be controlled by growers. However, proper cultural management can
help promote uniform crop growth and minimise the impact of these environmental stresses.
Establishing a uniform stand, monitoring soil moisture, applying irrigation in a timely
manner, fertilising based on the soil tests for a reasonable yield goal, and establishing proper
storage conditions will help reduce losses owing to many of these physiological disorders.