Potato most important and economical food crop of the world, referred as poor man friend. Its origin is in South America. It is rich source of starch and vitamin. It is used as vegetable also used for making of chips. It is used for several industrial purposes for production of starch and alcohol. Potato is grown almost in all states. Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, Punjab, Karnataka, Assam and Madhya Pradesh are major potato growing states.
In Himachal Pradesh in year 2002-03 potato farming is done in 5.9 thousand acre of land and gives an average yield of 42.5qtl/acre.
 

It can grow on wide range of soil, ranging from sandy loam, silt loam, loam and clay soils. It gives best yield when grown under well drained sandy loam and medium loam soils with rich in organic content. They can grow in acidic soil. It cannot grow under waterlogged soil also saline, alkaline soils are not suitable for potato cultivation.

Kufri Chandramukhi: It is an early maturing variety and is suitable for sowing in ground areas to mountainous areas. The variety gets ready in 110-130 days. It has medium height plant, early maturing and flowers are light pink in color. Tubers are of large oval shape which are slightly flattened and having dull white color flesh. In high mountainous areas, it gives an average yield of 37.5-41qtl/acre and in dry temperate areas; it gives an average yield of 100qtl/acre.

Kufri Jyoti: It is a medium season variety which gets ready in 130-150 days. It has long, straight, early growers and medium size variety. It bears white color flowers. The variety is resistant to wilting. It is a high yielding variety. It gives an average yield of 62.5-72qtl/acre.

Other state varieties:

White skin varieties

Kufri Ashoka (PJ 376): It is developed by CPIU, Shimla and suitable for cultivation in Bihar, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal. Plant is of medium height with medium thick stem. It gets mature in 70-80 days. Tubers are of large oval shape, white color with smooth skin. It is susceptible to late blight.

Kufri Bahar: Plants are tall with thick stem, 4-5 stem per plant. Tubers are of large, white, round to oval shape and flesh is of white color. It matures in 90-100 days and gives yield of 100-120qtl/acre. Its keeping quality is average. It is resistant to late blight, early blight and leaf roll etc.

Kufri Pukhraj: Plants are tall with medium thick stems, stems are few. Tubers are of white, large and oval shape with smooth skin. It matures in 70-90 days and gives average yield of 160qtl/acre. It is resistant to early blight and not suitable for processing.

Kufri Badshah: Plants are tall with 4-5 stems per plant. Tubers are of large to medium, oval shape with dull white flesh. Tubers are tasty with good flavor. It matures in 90-100 days. It is tolerant to frost, resistant to late blight, early blight.

Kufri sutlej: Plants are medium compact and thick stem. Foliage is of gray green color. Tubers are large size with oval shape and smooth skin. It matures in 90-100 days with average yield of 160qtl/acre. It has good consumer quality, it easy for cooking with mild flavor. It is not suitable for processing.
 
Red skin varieties

Kufri Sindhuri: Suitable for Karnataka, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Jammu and Kashmir and Punjab. It has medium round shape tubers having deep red eyes. The variety is moderately resistant to early blight and tolerant to Potato Leaf Roll Virus (PLRV) and late blight disease. It gets mature in 110-120 days and gives an average yield of 165qtl/acre. 

Kufri Lalima: Suitable for Bihar and Uttar Pradesh states. It has medium round shape tuber. The variety matures in 100-110 days. It gives an average yield of 165qtl/acre. The variety is moderately resistant to early blight.

Suitable varieties for processing

Kufri Chipsona 1: Suitable for Bihar and Uttar Pradesh. It has medium to large tuber having fleet eyes on it. The crop matures in 90-110 days after sowing. It gives an average yield of 165 qtl/acre. The variety is resistant to late blight and is tolerant to frost. It is suitable for making chips and French fries.

Kufri Chipsona 2: Plants are of medium tall with few stems. Foliage is of dark green and flowers are of white color. Tubers are of white, medium size, round, oval shape with smooth skin. Gives average yield of 140qtl/acre. It is resistant to late blight. It is highly suitable for making chips and french fries.

Kufri Chipsona 3: Medium duration variety ready to harvest in 100-110 days. Gives average yield of 120-140 qtl/acre.

Kufri Anand: Medium duration variety gives resistant to late blight and frost. Gives average yield of 140-160 qtl/acre.

Kufri Pushkar: Medium duration variety gives average yield of 120-140qtl/acre.
 

Ploughing land at depth of 30cm and prepared bed for sowing. For Ploughing land use mould board plough or disc harrow. Then take one or two tilling with desi plough or tiller. Level the soil by planking operation after each tillage operation. At the time of last tillage use Phorate 10 G @5-7kg mix well in the soil to protect the crop from soil borne diseases. Maintain sufficient moisture in soil before sowing. For planting, two methods are widely used, 1) Ridge and furrow method 2) Flat bed method.

Time of sowing
Low mountainous areas (upto 800m height)
For autumn crop: Mid-September-Mid-October.
For spring crop: January-February.
Intermediate mountainous areas (800-1600m): Mid-January
High mountainous areas (1600-2400m): March-April.
Extremely high mountainous areas (more than 2400m): April- start of May.

Spacing
For sowing, use row to row distance of 50-60cm and plant to plant distance of 20cm. Planting distance vary with size of tubers. If diameter of tuber ranges from 2.5-3.5cm, use planting distance of 60x15cm where as if diameter of tuber is of 5-6cm, use spacing of 60x40cm.
 
Sowing Depth
Dig a trench of 6-8 inch deep and plant piece of potato with eye pointing up.

Method of sowing
For sowing, use tractor operated semi-automatic or automatic planter.
 

Seed rate
Use large size tubers for planting. Use seed rate of 12-15 qtl/acre for sowing.

Seed Treatment
Select seeds/tubers from reliable source. Remove potato tuber from cold storage and then keep in cool and shady place for one to two weeks to allow emergence of sprouts. To get uniform sprouting, Treat tubers with Gibberellic acid@1gm/10Ltr water for 1 hour then dry in shade and keep in aerated dim room for 10days. Dip cut tubers in solution of 0.5% Mancozeb solution (5gm/Ltr of water) for ten minutes. It will prevent rotting of tuber in early plantation stage. To protect crop from rotting and black scurf disease treat whole and cut tubers with 6% Mercury solution@0.25% (2.5gm/Ltr of water).
 

Fertilizer Requirement (kg/acre)

Nutrient Requirement (kg/acre)

Apply 10 ton/acre of Farm Yard Manure or well decomposed Cow Dung at time of land preparation two weeks before planting. For optimum growth, it requires, Nitrogen@50kg per acre in form of Urea@110kg/acre, Phosphorus@34kg/acre in form of SSP@208kg/acre and Potash@25 kg/acre in form of MOP@41 kg/acre.

Apply 3/4th of Nitrogen fertilizer and whole dose of Phosphorus and Potash at time of sowing. Remaining 1/4th dose of Nitrogen should be applied after 25-30 days after planting at time of earthing up operation.

Earthing up: It is necessary to maintain proper aeration, proper soil temperature and moisture in soil for good growth of crop and proper development of tubers. In earthing up soil is drawn up around base of plant to encourage better tuber formation. It should be done when plant attained height of 15-20cm. If required carry out second earthing up two weeks after first earthing up. It can be done manually with hoe or mould board plough or ridger for large areas.

WSF: To promote bulking in potato, spray NPK 13:0:45@ 2kg and 1000gm magnesium EDTA per acre. Add fungicide Propineb@3gm/Ltr of water as prophylactic. To increase number of tubers and size, spray with Humic acid (12%) @ 3ml+ MAP 12:61:00 @ 8gm/DAP @ 15gm/Ltr of water in vegetative stage.
 

In Lahaul Spiti region, Potato-Kidney bean/pea/France beans rotation is done to obtain high yield.

Mainly 10-15 irrigations are necessary for potato crop plantation. Irrigation must be start after seed germination. In light soil it requires 7-10 irrigations and in heavy soil it requires 12-15 irrigations. In October-November month, apply irrigation at interval of 7-10 days. Where as in December-January month use irrigation interval of 10-15 days. Avoid flood irrigation as it will cause rot disease. Stop irrigation 15 days before harvesting.

Apply pre-emergence herbicide Pendimethalin@1-1.5 Ltr/acre or Metribuzin 70WP@200gm per acre within 3-5 days after sowing. Remove weeds with hand in case of low infestation 25 days after planting in plain areas and 40-45 days in hilly areas when crop attained height of 8-10cm.
Mulching is also an effective way to minimized weed infestation along with it helps to conserve soil moisture. Paddy straw or farm remains can be used for mulching. Remove mulch 20-25 days after planting.

 

• Pest and their control:
  

Aphid: Adult and nymphs, both suck the sap thus weaken the plant. In severe infestation, they cause curling and deformation of young leaves. They secrete honey dew like substance and Sooty, black mould is developed on affected parts.

Cut the foliage according region timing, to check infestation of Aphid. If Infestation of Aphid and Jassid observed take spray of Imidacloprid@50ml or Thiamethoxam@40gm/acre/150Ltr water.

Cut worms: They damage crop by cutting sprout at ground level. They feed at night so control becomes difficult.

As a preventive measure use only well rotten cow dung. If infestation is observed, Spray crop with Chlorpyrifos 20% EC@ 2.5ml per Ltr of water. Apply Phorate 10G@4kg/acre around plants and they cover with soil.

If infestation of Tobacco Caterpillar is observed then to Control spray with Quinalphos 25EC@ 20ml/10Ltr of water.

Leaf eating Caterpillar: They feed on potato leaves and thus damage the crop.

If infestation observed in field, spray crop with Chlorpyrifos or Profenofos@2ml or Lambda Cyhalothrin@1ml/Ltr of water.

Epilanchna Beetle: Larva and adults damages crop by feeding on leaves.

In intial phase of infestation, collect egg of beetle manually and then destroyed it away from the field. Take spray of Carbaryl@ 1gm per Ltr of water.

White Grub: They remain in soil and damage crop by feeding on roots, stem and tubers. Infected plant show drying up. Grubs make holes in tubers.

As a preventive measures, Carbofuran 3G@12kg or Thimate 10G@7kg/acre at the time of sowing.

Potato Tuber Moth: It is major pest in field as well as in storage. It make tunnel in potato and feeds on flesh.

Use healthy and diseased free seeds for sowing. Use only well decomposed cow dung. If infestation is observed take spray of Carbaryl@1gm per Ltr of water.

• Disease and their control:
  

Early blight: Necrotic spots observed on lower leaves. The fungus due which infestation occurred lies in soil. It rapidly spread in high moisture and low temperature.

Avoid mono cropping of crop and follow crop rotation. If infestation is observed, take spray of Mancozeb@30gm or Copper oxychloride@30gm/10Ltr water at 45Days 2-3 times at 10days interval.

Black scurf: Black speck observed on tubers. Affected plant show drying up. In infected tubers, at time of sprouting, black, brown color appear on eyes.

For planting use diseased free tubers. Before sowing, seed treatment with Mercury is essential. Avoid mono cropping and follow crop rotation. If land kept fallow for two years then severity of disease is reduced.

Late Blight: Infestation is observed on lower part of leaves and tip of leaves. Irregular water spots are seen on infected leaves. Around the spot white powdery growth is observed. In severe condition, white powdery growth is seen on nearby soil surface of infected plants. This disease is rapidly spread in cloudy weather and after rains. If not controlled can cause loss up to 50%.

For sowing use healthy and disease free seeds. If infestation is observed take spray of Propineb@40gm/15Ltr of water.

Common scab: It survives in field as well as in storage. Disease is spread rapidly in low moisture condition. Light brown to dark brown lesion are appeared on infected tubers.

Use only well rotten cow dung for application in field. Use diseased free seeds for planting. Avoid deep planting of tubers. Follow crop rotation and avoid mono cropping in same field. Before sowing, treat seeds with Emisan 6@0.25% (2.5gm/Ltr of water) for five minutes.

 

Bacterial brown rot or Wilt: Infected crop remain stunted and leaves show bronze discolorations of leaflets.

For sowing use healthy and disease free tubers. Collect and destroyed infected plant parts. Follow crop rotation. Before sowing treat seeds with Septocaine@2gm/Ltr of water (0.02%) for 30minutes after giving five mm deep cuts.

Bacterial soft rot: At base of plant black leg appears along with browning of infected tubers also plant give yellow appearance. In severe condition plant wilt and get died. On infected tubers soft, reddish spot appear on infected tubers.

For sowing use healthy and disease free tubers. Before sowing treat seed with Boric Acid@3% (300gm/10Ltr of water) for 30minutes and then dried in shades. Before storage of tubers repeat the treatment with Boric Acid. In Plains areas, treat seed with Carbendazim@1% (100gm/10Ltr of water) for 15minutes for effective control of disease.

Mosaic: Mosaic affected plants give faint yellow appearance along with stunted growth. Size and number of tuber get reduced.

For sowing use healthy and diseased free seeds. Inspect field regularly and destroyed infected plant and parts immediately. Take spray of Metasystox or Rogor@300ml in 200 liters of water per acre.

Dehaulming: It is necessary to get virus free seed also it increases size and number of tubers. Dehaulming means cutting of foliage close to ground at fix timing or date. Its timing is varying according to region and also on aphid population. In North it is carried out in last week of December.

Crop is ready for harvesting when majority of the leaves turn yellow-brown and fall on ground. Harvest crop 15-20days after dehaulming at proper moisture in soil. Harvesting can be done by Tractor drawn potato digger or manually with help of spade or Khurpi. After harvesting potatoes are spread on ground and allowed to dry in shade, keep them in heaps for 10-15days in shade for curing of skin. Remove damaged and rotten tubers.

Do sorting of tubers and remove cut, injured tubers. After sorting grading is done depending upon diameter or size of tubers. Over size tuber are having great demand as they are useful for chips making. Store potato at temperature of 4° to 7°C and relative humidity.