From magazine No. 4 2014
Category: Reflections on the main thing
Andrey Kalinin
There is no rush on long winter evenings; it is time for reflection. So we invite readers to take a break from the bustle and philosophize in the good sense of the word. This time we will talk about the ABCs of potato growing, the basis of the fundamentals - about something without which it is impossible to comprehend the literacy of rational actions and become a real pro.
To achieve the highest peaks in the profession, regardless of the direction of a person’s activity, it is necessary to rely on the basic patterns of development of natural, physical, technical, economic, financial, social and other processes, the rational combination and skillful application of which determines the final success of the business started. Otherwise, the work will lead to system errors that cannot be eliminated without revising the starting points. Thus, an incorrectly learned multiplication table will always nullify all subsequent efforts.
We want to draw the attention of readers to the key concepts of potato growing, highlight the main ones and discard the outdated ones.
We do not insist on the absolute truth of our assumptions, but if the material read makes the respected reader think and look at everyday things from a different angle, this may allow him to find an unexpected solution to long-standing, seemingly insoluble contradictions.
This alphabet is not arranged in the usual alphabetical order, but according to our understanding of the significance of those provisions of potato growing, which will be presented below.
Z. Earth - an invaluable gift for humanity, providing us with everything we need. The earth must be protected, protected from unreasonable acts and, when working on it, take into account the patterns of phenomena caused by natural factors.
Knowledge - an important word in any branch of human activity. A true professional continuously replenishes his knowledge to further improve and hone his skills. Only knowledge about the actual processes that take place during potato production allows you to receive a stable income, regardless of the influence of various unfavorable conditions.
DEF plants - in particular, such delicate, sensitive, weak and defenseless as potatoes - is a continuous process, from planting to storage. The arsenal of methods, techniques and plant protection products is large, but one thing needs to be remembered: without reliable protection it is impossible to unlock the high potential of potatoes.
AP soil - the main wealth of the farmer. It should be treated with special care, because the practice of global and domestic handling of this priceless gift makes us think about the rationality of humanity. To ensure that human activities do not lead to deterioration of soil fertility and irreversible losses, it is necessary to consistently follow the laws of Nature when planning crop rotation and fertilizer application systems, as well as when adapting technologies and technological means to local unique conditions.
Density soil determines the conditions for: the development of the root system of cultivated crops, the course of vital processes of soil biota, the distribution of moisture and nutrients. It is known from experience that 1-1,5% of potato growers regularly measure soil hardness (an analogue of its density) during the growing season to a depth of 80 cm, another 3-4% once took one-time measurements, but do not carry them out on a regular basis , and the rest never thought about finding out the degree of compaction in the development zone of the potato root system. We believe that the word “density” must be used in the vocabulary of a potato grower.
Weather has a great influence on the harvest. It must be remembered that it is changeable and impermanent in its manifestations. Therefore, a potato grower must have techniques in his arsenal to minimize or eliminate the negative impact of weather deviations on the result of his work.
И. Illusion. Unfortunately, a significant part of potato growers live with illusory ideas about many processes related to potato cultivation. This is mainly due to an insufficient level of knowledge, following traditions inherited from grandfathers and great-grandfathers, as well as blind imitation of foreign experience without analyzing the conditions for its successful application. Illusion is what is on the surface, appearance. And under the visible part, sometimes there are such serious pitfalls that can easily sink the most modern and well-equipped potato business.
С. Good ones seed – the key to obtaining a stable harvest and high quality of grown products. Unlike many other crops, the process of obtaining elite potato seed material takes 4-5 years. Over such a long period, there is a high risk of a decrease in the properties of the seeds due to possible infection with viruses, fungal and bacterial diseases. Therefore, planting material supplied to commercial farms must be certified in accordance with the requirements of the seed inspection. A big misconception is the possibility of obtaining seed material in commercial farms by allocating areas for planting elite material, and even more so by selecting the small fraction from commercial potatoes. All this will never allow you to obtain seed material of proper quality, but at the same time it will require significant costs for its cultivation. We hope that potato growers will have a self-organized system for supplying seed material from specialized seed production enterprises that receive products in conditions of reliable spatial isolation, with mandatory phytocleaning and reliable plant protection from pests and diseases. This is the common work of potato and seed growers.
В. moisture. Timely supply of the required amount of moisture to the fields is a necessary condition for a rich harvest. In central Russia, as a rule, the average annual rainfall is sufficient to obtain products in the planned volume with a high level of profitability. However, the agricultural producer must create conditions for the accumulation of autumn and winter moisture and prevent its irreversible loss in the spring and summer. In addition, during the growing season, it is necessary to provide conditions for the removal of excess moisture into the lower layers of the soil, so that autumn rains do not cause the harvest to stop. The use of such techniques allows you to begin harvesting an hour after the cessation of precipitation on any type of soil.
Time - a factor that is intangible, but significant. In any year of any complexity, in each phase of plant growth, there is always a time window favorable for carrying out one or another technological operation. Therefore, the potato grower needs to organize a certain order of work with a sufficient margin of safety in terms of technical, material and labor resources in order to complete it in a favorable time frame. At the same time, all conditions are guaranteed for the full realization of the potential of plants and the production of high-quality products.
Л. Logistics. This term has recently appeared in the Russian language, but its significance is very high. The absence of a well-established system for the delivery of seeds, fertilizers, fuel, removal of products and waste can negate all the efforts expended by the farm throughout the year. Well-thought-out logistics allows us to minimize the time required to complete all technological operations, as well as ensure uninterrupted operation of the technological complex of machines.
М. Management - This includes management of the production process, rational organization of labor, and competent decisions on the selection and adaptation to local conditions of certain technologies aimed at obtaining products with specified quality indicators. An integrated approach to enterprise management, mandatory analysis of all stages of the technological process of growing potatoes and production support systems make it possible to ensure high profitability of the farm, and also outline ways for its future development.
Т. Technology – sequence and certain rules for performing technological operations, distributed over time. Certain technologies are formed on the basis of ideas about ways to realize the potential of plants, as well as at the level of current development of science and technology. Naturally, technology cannot be frozen in its development; it is constantly being improved, adjusted and changed depending on various conditions and scientific discoveries introduced into production. But we can say with confidence that the development of modern technologies leads to a reduction in labor costs per unit of production, to increasing the efficiency of economic activities and to improving the quality of the final product. It is only necessary to select the technological solution that will most accurately correspond to the conditions of its application.
К. Quality - this concept consists of all the components mentioned above. The quality of potatoes depends on all stages: from preparing the soil and selecting seeds to harvesting, storing and sending the finished product to the buyer. Only a quality product will be chosen by the buyer, even if he has to pay a higher price. Only a high-quality product can ensure constant sales, despite the variability of market conditions. Only the release of high-quality goods will ensure the success of the enterprise and the demand for its product.
Potato - This is the product that this article was dedicated to. We hope that potato dishes will always be on your table, regardless of the time of year and weather, in a wide variety of forms. Well, for those who produce it, it will serve as a reliable source of prosperity and pride in their work.
We do not insist on the completeness of the proposed alphabet of potato growing. There are many more letters in it that we all need to discover in order to paint a more complete picture of the world around us. We started with those terms that define the basic points of successful development of potato growing, and, of course, the more of them appear on the route of the traveler, the less there will be the risk of going astray from the right path. In subsequent articles, my colleagues and I will try to more fully reveal the constituent elements of the potato grower's alphabet in order to gain new knowledge and gradually free ourselves from the illusions that surround us.