Growing Better Potatoes
Increased Tuber Quality
Tuber quality in potatoes is closely influenced by the strength of cell walls in the tuber. Quality can be improved by increasing the level of calcium in the tubers.Tubers can be low in calcium even when the soil is calcareous, and even when other parts of the plant such as the foliage have high calcium levels. This is due to the physiology of the potato plant.
Calcium is picked up by the roots and moves to the parts of the plant that lose the most water (transpiration). As the tubers are underground and in a moist environment the calcium bypasses them and moves into the leaves.
Once calcium is in the foliage the plant can’t move it back to the tubers, therefore tubers must get their calcium from the soil.
PiNT Calcium will increase the quality and yield of the crop. Placing PiNT Calcium near the tubers keeps the calcium level of the tuber high – reducing internal browning, soft rots, and hollow heart.
The unique controlled release nitrogen in PiNT Calcium also develops the root system around the stolons which further improves calcium uptake by the plant.
Even Tuber Size Distribution
When Tuber is developing the quality is adversely affected if conditions lead to rapid shoot growth. This rapid shoot development acts as a sink for food, and ‘robs’ the fruit of food leading to tuber abortion and reducing quality. Speedo Saxon encourages the sugars made in the leaves to move to the tuber, and boosts root growth, which discourages shoot proliferation. This results in more tubers, and more evenly sized tubers (less ‘second set’ tubers which have lowers quality).Improved growth in Stressful Climates
During cool or hot temperatures the crops ability to synthesise growth hormones declines disproportionately to give a slow-down in development, and often a quality reduction. Normal balance can be restored by application of InCa to give improved growth and quality during temperature extremesDuring frost or low temperatures InCa will protect the crop, and prevent tuber abortion. During high heat InCa will stimulate hormone production in hot weather, and improve growth and quality.
Extended Shelf Life
Shelf life of the tuber is controlled by ethylene, which encourages the breakdown of compounds that bind together the cells in the fruit, and weakens cell walls.By helping the plant cope with Stress through the season the cells become less susceptible to ethylene following harvest – thus increasing shelf-life and improving other quality aspects. InCa, Speedo balance and PiNT Calcium will all reduce the impact of stress on the crop. They will also reduce flowering which can reduce quality by diverting resource from the tubers.
Healthy Root Systems
If plants are growing on salty or high sodium soils, it is likely that the crop is experiencing root decline. The root system can be reinvigorated using PiNT Calcium which will improve root growth and health, and suppress sodium uptake. Improving root health is also beneficial in reducing nematode attack. It will also improve drought tolerance – allowing water use to be reduced. This is important for quality – as it improves tuber calcium uptake, and reduces cracking.Better Tuber Size and Skin Set
The speed at which tubers bulk is determined by the plants ability to move the sugars made in the leaves (during photosynthesis) to the developing tubers. This process is controlled by the release of the auxin hormone that determines the distribution of the ‘food’ made in the leaf. Tissues that produce more auxin get more food.The highest amount of auxins is made in the shoots and new foliage, and it is the shoots and new leaves that get most of the photosynthates. When foliage is high in nitrates the problem is worsened, and when foliage is growing rapidly the problem is worsened. This is the reason that late growth can reduce tuber quality, and that high nitrates can reduce yield.
Skin Set is also influenced by the auxin hormone; this is why early harvested potatoes (harvested when the foliage is more vigorous) have more problems with skin set.
Speedo Balance applied before vine kill or senescence increases the amount of photosynthates or ‘food’ moved from the foliage to the tubers. This increases bulking and improves skin-set
Rates and Recommendations for Potato:
PiNT CalciumSoil Application: Up-to 400L/Ha per season. Split into applications of 50-200L. Can be used with drip and centre-pivot systems.
Foliar Application: 5-10 L/Ha, or 1% spray solution and spray till run-off.
Timing:
Soil – band 100-200 L during hilling.
Drip Irrigation – Split applications at 15 day intervals during bulking (after tubers reach 4cm).
Centre Pivot – two applications of 100-200 L at 60 at 80 days after planting.
Foliar – whenever crop is experiencing stress conditions.
PiNT Potassium
Soil Application: up-to 100L/Ha per season split into applications of 25-50L.
Foliar Application: 5-10 L/Ha, or 1% spray solution and spray till run-off.
Timing: Whenever late season potassium is required for increased quality.
Speedo Balance
Application Rate – 5 lts per ha.
Timing: To improve bulking and skin set apply 20 days before vine kill.
Speedo Saxon
Application Rate – 3lts per ha.
Timing Apply whenever foliage is experiencing rapid vegetative growth.
InCa
Application rate: 1lt per ha either as a foliar or through drip irrigation system.
Timing: Heat/Cold stress - apply at 20 day intervals during periods of high/low temperatures.
Tuber quality – To improve solids, and reduce stolon abortion apply through drip at hook-eye stage.
