Get quality potato seeds and the best production through seed plot technology
If you produce vegetables, then to get quality potato seeds and good yield, adopt these best techniques which will give more profit in less time. In India, potato is considered an important crop among vegetables, because potato is mostly used in vegetables. If we talk about its cultivation, then potato is produced in 110.47 thousand hectares in the state of Punjab and its yield is 3050.04 thousand tonnes. The productivity of potatoes in Punjab is much higher than in other states of India. The seed potatoes produced here are sent to many states like Karnataka, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, West Bengal and Bihar, etc.
Kapurthala and Jalandhar districts contribute 50 percent to the area under potatoes in the state of Punjab. Seed health is very important to obtain quality seeds and high production from any crop. Because seed is a significant investment, accounting for 50% of the total cost of production. Continuous use of the same seed without replacement significantly reduces seed quality. Standard seed potatoes can be successfully produced in the plains by seed plot technology. The main objective of this method is to get a healthy crop of potatoes in Punjab at a time when the amount of oil is minimal or viral diseases cannot spread.
Krishi Vigyan Kendra Kapurthala: About the method of preparing potato seeds through seed plot technique.
-For the production of seed potatoes, select an area that is free from disease-causing organisms/fungi such as blight and potato blight.
-The seeds used for sowing should be healthy and virus-free and buy these seeds only from a trusted establishment. Sort potatoes from cold store and bury diseased and rotten potatoes deep in the ground.
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-Do not sow potatoes brought from the cold store immediately. 10-15 days before sowing, take out the potatoes from the cold store and dry them in a ventilated place with a blower, etc., or in the shade.
-It is very important to treat potatoes before sowing so that the crop can be protected from diseases like blight and potato blight. To treat seeds, treat potatoes with Sistiva 333 g/litre or Isisto Prime or 250 ml for 10 minutes. Ltd. Dissolve Monseron 250 SC in 100 liters of water and keep it immersed in water for 10 minutes.
-Keep the modified potatoes in thin layers in a shady and open place for 8-10 days to germinate till sowing. Using sprouted potatoes results in better and uniform crop performance. Potatoes of larger seed size are obtained and production is higher. A minimum distance of 25 meters is required for preparing base seeds, whereas a distance of 10 meters is required for certified seeds.
-Sow the crop in the first fortnight of October at a distance of 50X15 cm. For machine sowing, keep this distance at 65X15 or 75X15 cm. For sowing one acre, 12-18 quintals of potatoes weighing 40-50 grams are sufficient. 8-10 acres of crop can be sown from one acre of crop seeds.
-Never spray Metasystox within three weeks of digging potatoes. For weed control, spray Sancor 70 WP 200 grams before weeding and after first watering.
-To keep the seed crop free from weeds and diseases, inspection of the crop is very necessary. The first inspection should be done after 50 days of sowing, the second inspection at 65 days, and the third inspection at 80 days.
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-The first irrigation should be light soon after sowing. During irrigation, take care that the water does not rise above the pots. In this way, the soil in the pots dries up and becomes hard and affecting the rooting and growth of the potato. Irrigation should be done at an interval of 5-7 days in light soil and at an interval of 8-10 days in heavy soil.
-It is very important to protect the potato crop from late blight disease because this disease spreads widely in a short time. It also causes considerable damage to the crop. To prevent this disease, spray Indofil M 45/Kavach/Antracol 500-700 grams per acre dissolved in 250-350 liters of water on the crop in the first week of November. Repeat this spraying 5 times at an interval of 7 days. Where the incidence of the disease is high, do the third and fourth spraying of Ridomil Gold or Curzet M-8 at the rate of 700 grams per acre at an interval of 10 days.
-Before December 25, when the weight of seed potatoes is less than 50 grams and the number of oil is 20 insects per 100 leaves, then cut the vine.
- After harvesting, leave the potatoes lying on the ground for 15-20 days, so that the potato peel becomes hard. Also, become fully mature. After digging, keep the potatoes in a heap in a shady place for 15-20 days.
-Sort the potatoes and separate them from damaged and cut potatoes. Afterward, grade the potatoes into sterile bags and seal them. Store these potatoes in cold storage till September for use next year. Where the temperature is 2-4º centigrade and humidity is 75-80%.
-Potatoes produced by this method will be free from seed diseases and virus diseases, due to which high-yielding and quality crops can be obtained.
