POTATO PRODUCTION

A complete Guide

By Dahlia Shumba 0717816552

Promoting Farming Excellence

 Potato Production
Classification Family Solanaceae
Genus Solanum
Species Tuberosum
Soil requirements Soils Medium textured to heavy clay loams
5.0-5.5, Potato require slightly acidic soils. It is
recommended not to apply lime to potato crop to reduce
incidences of Potato Scab Disease. Lime can be applied
pH a season before planting potatoes
Climatic requirements Temperature 18-22ᵒC (not below 12ᵒC, not above 36ᵒC
Time of planting Summer crop November
Winter irrigated crop February- April
Spring irrigated crop Late July – Early August
Seed requirement Seeds/ha 30kg pockets 75-85 pockets
* 25kg pockets 85-95 pockets
Spacing Interrow 90-120cm, 90cm is mostly recommended
Inrow 25-30cm, 30cm is mostly recommended
Plant population Minimum 27k
Maximum 44k
Medium early (90-
110days) Diamond, Lanorma, BP1, Innovator
Medium late (110-
120days) Jasper, Mnandi, Avalanche, Mondial, Fabula
Varieties Late (130-140days) Sifra, Panamera, Amethyst
Make sure to plant sprouted tubers to ensure uniform
and early emergence. Breaking dormancy is therefore
required and this ca be done by
 Heat treatment
Sprouting  Gibberellic acid application at 16ml/100l water
Fertilisation
Application Fertiliser Composition Rate/plant Remarks
Basal Compound C 5 : 15 : 12 60g All at planting
Mono Ammonium
Top dressing Phosphate 12 : 61 : 0 5g Once off application
Ammonium Nitrate 34.5 : 0 : 0 5g Once off application
Potassium nitrate 13 : 0 : 46 16g Split application
Mono ammonium phosphate
 Apply 5g (Cup 5) at week 2 after emergence
Ammonium nitrate
 Apply 5g (Cup 5) at week 4 after emergence
Potassium nitrate
 Split apply equally (Cup 8) at week 6 and 8 after emergence

Supplementary fertilisers
 Winstart- spray at week 2 and 3 at 1% solution (10g/l of water)

Promoting Farming Excellence

  Wingrow- spray at week 4 and 5 at 1% solution (10g/l of water)
 Winbloom- spray from week 6 onwards at 1% solution (10g/l of water)
 Calcium nitrate- spray from week 7 onwards at 2g/l of water every 2 weeks
NB: More supplementary fertilisers are available on the market
 Total fertiliser application = Rate/plant * Plant population (Divide by 1000 to convert to kgs)
Ridging
 Ridging can be done soon after every top dressing to increase fertiliser use efficiency
*There is direct correlation between fertilisation and yield, thus the more you fertilise, the more the yield obtained
*Pay attention to the amount of organic fertiliser to avoid later mineralisation
PESTS, DISEASES, WEEDS CONTROL
Herbicides
Pre-emergence Metolachlor
Post-emergence Propaquizafop, Fluazifop-p-Butyl
Pests
Nematodes Stink bug Aphids

Oxamyl, Fenamiphos, Velum Methomyl, Imidacloprid, Imidacloprid, Acetamiprid,

Acetamiprid, Malathion, Dichlorvos Malathion, Dichlorvos, Dimethoate
Deltamethrin
Whitefly American leafminer Redspider

Thiamethoxam, Methomyl, Acetamiprid, Abamectin, Amitraz, Dicofol, Abamectin,

Imidacloprid, Acetamiprid, Cyromazine, Novaluron, indoxacarb, Diazinon, Profenofos, Chlofernapyr,
Dichlorvos, Chess Deltamethrin, Emamectin benzoate Emamectin benzoate, Dimethoate
Tuta Potato tuber moth Semi-looper

Promoting Farming Excellence

B. thrungiensis, Acephate, Cartap hydrochloride, Deltamethrin, Emamectin benzoate, Lufenuron, Indoxacarb,
Fipronil, Flubendiamide, Chlorantraniliprole, Mercaptothion, Abamectin, Malathion, Dichlorvos, Methomyl,
Diazinon, Chlorpyrifos
Wireworm Thrips Cutworms

Chlorpyrifos, Deltamethrin Abamectin, Imidacloprid, Chlorpyrifos, Lambda cyhalothrin,

Acetamiprid, Malathion, Dichlorvos, Carbaryl, Deltamethrin
Deltamethrin
Fire ants Whitegrubs Termites

Chlopyrifos, Imidacloprid, Fipronil Chlorpyrifos, Lambda cyhalothrin, Chlopyrifos, Imidacloprid, Fipronil

Deltamethrin
Diseases
Damping off Downey/Powdery mildew Late blight

Captan, Copper oxychloride, Mancozeb, Copper oxychloride, Mancozeb, Copper oxychloride,

Mancozeb, Thiram, Metalaxyl Chemlaxyl, Chlorothalonil, Propineb Chlorothalonil, Propineb,
Chemlaxyl, Cymoxanil

Promoting Farming Excellence

Early blight Potato Scab Bacterial complex
 Fungicides are not effective in
controlling bacterial diseases
 Always plant certified seed
resistant to diseases
 Application of Acibenzolar-S-
Methyl will activate the plant
against bacterial diseases

Mancozeb, Copper oxychloride, Take care of good soil moisture and

Tebuconazole, Chlorothalonil, avoid liming the potato crop
Difenoconazole, Trifloxystrobin,
Azoxystrobin
**Always read the labels on chemicals for rates and post-harvest intervals
**Chemicals listed in active ingredients, trade names may differ
**Chemical colour codes do not illustrate the effectiveness in pest control, but the toxicity to the operator
Haulm killing
Killing the foliage of potato plants(haulm) facilitate tuber detachment and skin hardening which increase strength
and storability. This can be done by
 Applying non-selective herbicides
 Slashing off the foliage
 Waiting for the foliage to naturally dry off
 Harvesting will be ready in 10-14days after haulm killing
Growth stages

Promoting Farming Excellence

 Potato Program
Planting date Variety

Plant pop Area Spacing

Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday

Week after Age Date Herbicides/ 16l Fertilisers/plant Pesticides/ 16l Fungicides/ 16l Foliar sprays/
emergence knapsack knapsack 16l knapsack
Planting Metolachlor Compound C 60g Oxamyl 160ml
120ml
0 0 Lambda 16ml Copper 80g

1 7 Dichlorvos 16ml Bravo 32ml

2 14 MAP 5g Abamectin 16ml Antracol 32g Winstart 160g

3 21 Carbaryl 24g Acomil 50g Winstart 160g

4 28 Fluazifop 120ml AN(NH₄NO₃) 5g FD Muroti 16ml Orius 16ml Wingrow 160g

5 35 Belt 4ml Copper 80g Wingrow 160g

6 42 PN(KNO₃) 8g Dichlorvos 16ml Bravo 32ml CN 160g

7 49 Abamectin 16ml Antracol 32g Winbloom 160g

8 56 PN(KNO₃) 8g Carbaryl 24g Acomil 50g CN 160g

9 63 FD Muroti 16ml Orius 16ml Winbloom 160g

10 70 Belt 4ml Copper 80g CN 160g

11 77 Dichlorvos 16ml Bravo 32ml Winbloom 160g

12 84 Abamectin 16ml Antracol 32g CN 160g

13 91 Carbaryl 24g Acomil 50g

14 98 FD Muroti 16ml Orius 16ml

15 105 Belt 4ml

16 112

17 119

Promoting Farming Excellence