Information on Potato Farming in India with Guidance 

Potatoes are cultivated as tuber vegetables. India ranks third in the world in the area of ​​potato production. Potatoes are very much like in India. It is such a vegetable which can be made with any vegetable. Except for Kerala and Tamil Nadu, potato cultivation is done everywhere in India. Consumption of potatoes is beneficial for the body, but excessive consumption can cause problems like increasing fat in the body. Many nutrients are found in potatoes, including vitamins C and B, manganese, calcium, phosphorus and iron. Also, the amount of water in it is the highest.

 

Apart from vegetables, many food items are made using potatoes, including Vadapav, Potato filled Kachori, Chips, Tikki and Chokha, French fries, Samosa, Papad, and Chaat, which the demand for potatoes is also in the market. Potato tubers are found underground, so the land for their cultivation should be rich in organic matter and have proper drainage. Potatoes are cultivated in India along with the rabi crop.

 

Soil, Climate & Temperature

 

It requires sandy loam soil with proper drainage for its cultivation. Normal P.H. It can be easily cultivated in the land of value. A temperate and tropical climate is considered suitable for potato crops. In India, it is produced in the winter season, but the frost falling in winter damages its plants. Moreover, for preparing soil, the Power Tiller is used efficiently.  

Its fruits get spoiled even in a scorching climate, because of which its plants require light rain. Good potato production requires average temperature. High and low temperatures harm its plants. Its plants can tolerate only a maximum temperature of 25 degrees and a minimum of 15 degrees. Higher temperatures are harmful to plants.

Field Preparation 

 

Potatoes are cultivated in friable soil. The first deep ploughing is done in the field with the earth turning ploughs. After this, 15 carts of old cow dung manure or vermicompost are put in the field as a natural fertiliser and ploughed again. Due to this, cow dung manure mixes well in the area’s soil. After this, the field is ploughed by applying water. After pressing, when the ground of the field starts appearing dry from above, DAP is used as chemical fertiliser. Finally, ploughing is done by putting two sacks in the area.

After this, the field’s soil is pulverised using a rotavator. The ground becomes pulverised, the area is levelled by levelling. After this, the ridge is prepared for transplanting the plants in the field. Apart from this, 25 kg of urea is to be given along with irrigation at the time of plant growth.

Transplanting Method

 

Potato seeds are planted as potatoes. For this, small potato tubers are produced in the field. Before transplanting the tubers, they are mixed with an appropriate amount of Indofil in water, after which the tubers are kept in this solution for 15 minutes. After this, these tubers are planted. About 15 to 30 quintals of tubers are required in one hectare field.

For planting tubers, ridges are prepared to keep a distance of one feet in the flat land, and the width of each peak is kept up to one foot. 

Since potato is also cultivated along with the rabi crop, their plants are transplanted in the winter season. It is considered appropriate to plant its tubers between October and November.

Irrigation 

 

If potato tubers are planted in moist soil, then they require first irrigation after 5 days of transplanting. After this, the plants must be watered for 10 to 15 days for their growth. Also, for the excellent development of tubers in the potato field, moisture must be maintained.

Weed Control

 

Both chemical and natural methods are used to control weeds in the potato field. To prevent the weed by a chemical process, a proper amount of pendimethalin is sprayed after planting the seeds. Due to this, less quantity of weeds is born in the field. In the natural method, weeding is done to control the weeds. Its first weeding is done about 20 to 25 days after seed planting. Moreover, potato plants require two to three weeding only. After the first hoeing, the rest must be done after 15 to 20 days.

Harvesting 

 

The advanced varieties of potatoes take 80 to 90 days to be ready. Its tubers are dug out before the high temperature. At present, the digging of tubers is also being done by machine. This makes the potato soil clean. After this, the tubers are separated according to their size. A yield of 250 quintals is obtained in one hectare field.