Best Potato Cultivation of Irish Potatoes
Irish Potatoes or in other words a European potato is a name used to distinguish this crop from sweet potato. This crop is important among the root crops in the highlands of eastern Africa.
In areas of higher elevation, this crop yields the highest yields of maize and grows over a period of one year.
Potatoes are widely used as a main food crop in the country and are also exported to remote areas such as Kampala, Mombasa and Dar, es Salaam.
Here in Tanzania potatoes are grown in northern areas such as Moshi, Arusha, Lushoto and southern steeples such as Njombe in Iringa and Mbeya district districts. Also the areas of Morogoro with its peculiarities especially the Tartar Division have been shown to be able to produce this crop in abundance.
Weather
Rain: -
Potatoes require about 25 cm of rain a week which should last for about 3 months .5 This can produce potatoes and get good yields.
Temperature
Potatoes grow best in the cold at an elevation of 1,800 meters at a warm coconut. Few places at elevation of 1,500 meters can grow potatoes, but they also grow at an altitude of 2,900 meters.
Soil
Potatoes provide good yields on light, easy-to-water soils. Soil containing sufficient nutritional value or adding fertilizers and industrial fertilizers.
Types of potatoes
All varieties of potatoes have been imported from East Africa from Europe where they are produced in large quantities.
Dutch Robijn - from Holland
Inside is deep yellow
Slightly tolerates fog disease
It is highly susceptible to bacterial melting
Loved by many consumers
Roslin - from Scotlland
His skin is white
Inside is white
It tolerates mold disease
Kerr's Pink - her skin is white or red
Inside is white
It is most susceptible to fog and bacterial vapor
Atzimba - from Mexico
It tolerates mold disease
Seeds to produce potatoes
Small-size potatoes are used as seed, they should be 3 - 6 cm wide. About three-quarters of a tonne is needed to produce 1 acre and 1.85 tons per hectare. Seeds should not be kept in thick white shoots.
Prepare a field
The field should be arranged in small ridges about 75 centimeters from the ridge to the ridge, which helps to conserve soil and water and provides a good environment for growing potatoes.
It is also advisable if the ridges are not used then it is important to fill the soil in the trunk as the bottom pods in the trunk must be covered with soil to produce potatoes and thus increase yields.
Growing potatoes
Potatoes should be cultivated almost immediately when the rains begin to delay the germination which will reduce the root growth of the roots to potatoes and thus face a dry period.
Pruning is done by hand and the seeds should be ground to a depth of 10 cm. If the seeds are cultivated without bumps then they should be grown to 15 cm deep and covered with a small amount of soil and during planting the soil will be added to maximize potato yield. The germination area is 75 centimeters from row to row and 23 centimeters - 30 cm from row to row.
Fertilizer
Potatoes grow well in well-drained soil and need to be dug deep. The required fertilizers are those containing nitrogen in the range of 22 - 45 kg per acre; containing P2O5 lime at 45 - 65 per acre.
It is advisable to add fertilizer and manure when there is good yield prospects considering that the cultivated seeds are free of any diseases.
Weeds
Potato seedlings grown in the recommended positions can cover the whole soil and compress the weeds, this helps for the first 6 weeks. In the terrace, it is usually to remove weeds and fill the soil with stems.
Harvest
Potato harvesting is done with a hand hoe, the mashed potatoes from the ground should not be left for long as they will turn green and turn green.
To make the skin of the potatoes hard and not easily damaged then all the stems should be wiped 2 to 3 weeks before pulling the potatoes out of the soil. After the potatoes are harvested they cannot be stored for long as they begin to sprout. Potatoes can be stored on the ground, but no more than 6 weeks as they will be exposed to diseases and attacked by knot worms.
The harvest
The yields are many if professional care has been considered including disease control, using disease-resistant varieties. An amount of 6 - 8 tons per acre is harvested, equivalent to 15 - 20 tons per hectare.
Storage: -
Storage of this crop is difficult, so it is recommended that the part set aside for business be sold in advance, the home use portion should be stored in a clean yard or warehouse with floors, which are not moist, light or warm - well ventilated. Otherwise it causes the potatoes to germinate quickly. Potatoes that are kept in the barn should not be piled deep, spread out to keep them warm.
Insects
Frogs
It is a small insect that attacks the leaves and stems by:
absorb the redness and cause the plant to wilt.
Leaves curling upwards.
The leaves become tough
Plants stunted
It also carries a variety of viruses that infect plants.
It also spreads the virus.
Treatment: - During the handling of potato seed it is important to spray pesticides to avoid spraying in the field as most of the medicines will be lost.
Potato moths: -
Pests affect potatoes grown during non-seasonal potatoes. The hatched caterpillars get into the potatoes and cause rot. They also infiltrate the potatoes while in the stool.
Prevention: -
Stir the potatoes into the recommended or more than 3 centimeters as the nettle
get into it can not dig deep and raise bumps when the potatoes become, which helps prevent moths from laying eggs.
All chopped potatoes should be placed in bags and early in the afternoon to avoid moths hatching eggs.
Stored LANTANA CAMARA leaves can be used.
Treatment: - While the potatoes are in storage, Aldrin powder is applied to seed potatoes.
Sprinkle with potato leaves when the plant is 1 month old - Dipterex, Diazon, Thiodan, Permethrin, ACtellic or Sumithion.
If it is a potato to eat then use PYRETHRUM.
Recommendations: -
Attacks long-abandoned potatoes on the ground and on erosion-affected lands.
Prevention: -
Do not feed seeds that have been attacked by pests.
Prepare the field early so that all the remnants of the crop will rot away
do not allow shelter of the worms.
Warm: -
They are small insects that chew the leaves and leave vents.
Prevention: Use Malathion, Thiodan
IMPORTANT:
Together the effects of pests also spread a wide variety of plant diseases, thus keeping the field clean especially for weeding; digging and throwing away the waste with all the remainder and replacing the potatoes with staples like beans, corn, reduces the effects.
