Ekaterina Kudashkina, Candidate of Agricultural Sciences
Experts call potatoes one of the most profitable crops. In the 2021 season, the profitability of potato growing has reached a very high level due to an increase in the market value of products. But not everyone can afford a guaranteed harvest of high-quality potatoes: the crop requires the investment of many resources, including the use of effective expensive preparations for feeding and protection throughout the entire growing season. How justified are these costs?
В 2020-2021 гг. year we are in the company Agroliga LLC conducted several field studies and developed pilot schemes to ensure high yields of potatoes with a full return on investment.
In this article, we will analyze the need for and the result of the introduction of a scheme for feeding Arizona ware potatoes with preparations of the Spanish production of the Agritecno company.
In 2021 year the potato nutrition program was implemented on the basis of K (F) X Yuzefov Nikolay Nikolaevich (Rostov region, Semikarakorsk district). The enterprise is included in the TOP-10 largest potato farms in Russia. Coming here, you feel that this farm is three steps ahead of many others: the team works honestly, the indicators for all cultures are high. The owner of the enterprise, Nikolai Nikolaevich Yuzefov, provided us with an experimental site for joint field research. He has an amazing position: “It is important not how much he raised, but how many he fed.”
The main task was to get a high yield of quality ware potatoes with a good return on investment and further net profit.
Field experiments with the use of Agritecno preparations were carried out on a plot of 40 hectares, Arizona potatoes were grown on surface irrigation. Winter wheat was the forerunner in this field. In autumn, 600 kg/ha of diammofoska was applied for plowing, followed by ridge formation. In the spring, before planting, diammophoska 200 kg/ha was introduced, before hilling - ammonium nitrate 150 kg/ha.
The scheme of the field experience is given in table No. 1
For presowing treatment of tubers, in addition to insecticides and fungicides used by the farm, the preparations Tekamin Rais Plus and Controlfit Cu were used.
The advantage of the drugTekamin Rais» for potatoes lies in the fact that during presowing treatment it accelerates the formation of the root system of the tuber, which provides independent plant nutrition.
A drug "Controlfit Cu» (copper) is designed to increase plant resistance to fungal diseases and bacterial infections, which is especially important at the stage of tuber germination. In addition to the fungicidal action, copper stimulates the processes of photosynthesis in vegetative plants. The peculiarity of "Controlfit Cu" is that the active substance moves through the xylem and phloem, systemically protecting the plant (a.i. copper gluconate is the only form of copper existence inside the plant). The fertilizer has no analogues in Russia and is 100% environmentally friendly.
«Controlfit Cu» was also used for further treatments during the growing season, the dosage varied depending on the phase of plant development: for dressing tubers and in the period after flowering, 1 l/ha was applied, and during mass budding, 2 l/ha. I note that the phase of mass budding occurred at the time of the deterioration of weather conditions in our region - it was raining heavily, and the tops of the potatoes were more vulnerable due to waterlogging.
Another important advantage of the drugControlfit Cu» – compatibility with fungicides and insecticides. Many growers are afraid to add copper to their tuber treatment and vegetation spray. Based on personal experience, I want to emphasize that after work is done, neither in the solution unit nor in the sprayer tank does the precipitate fall. We have been working with this preparation on potatoes for two years now, and it is always stable. The secret is simple - a good formulation of the drug and the correct sequence when mixing - "Controlfit Cu» add to the prepared water before the SZR, since it is an organic preparation.
In the main scheme, after the treatment of tubers, in addition to pesticide treatments, the following fertilizers were added for foliar nutrition of potatoes:
1. 'Tekamin Max Plus» - was used in almost all phases of potato development, only the dosage changed. They were applied fractionally 6 times at 0,5 l/ha, a total of 3 l/ha during the growing season. The drug is used to activate the growth and development of culture, preventively protects (if stress occurs after treatment with the drug "Tekamin Max") and restores plants after stressful situations (if the treatment was after a stressful situation). "Tecamin Max Plus" not only combines with other important components of foliar dressings, enhancing their effect, but also supplements nutrient mixtures with amino acids necessary for plants, and also provides the plant with the transport of mineral nutrients. The visual effect of the application of "Tecamin Max Plus" is expressed precisely in the growth of the aerial part of the plant, the increase in the intensity of the color of the leaves and in a healthier appearance of the bush. The result of the general improvement of the leaf surface is the formation of a larger yield.
The drug is completely environmentally friendly due to plant origin. The increased content of organic substances (60%) and free L-amino acids of vegetable origin (12%) promotes the development of plants, accelerates the growth of tubers and improves their quality, which ultimately makes it possible to obtain a homogeneous potato fraction.
2. 'Teknokel Amino B (boron) Plus" - in the phase of budding - the beginning of flowering 1 l / ha for the growth of shoots and the root system, the prevention of scab, as well as a balanced diet, since its deficiency reduces the absorption of nitrogen and calcium. We contributed "Teknokel Amino B» precisely at this critical moment for potato plants, since boron is both a fertilizer and a means of protection against late blight.
Separately, I will highlight: thanks to the patented FASTB technology© ️ the organic molecule of the drug "Teknokel Amino Bor Plus" prevents the attachment of boron to the cell membrane and makes it mobile, preventing further boron deficiency.
3. 'Teknokel Amino Sa (calcium) Plus" - fractionally 1 l/ha from the end of flowering to the middle of the tuber growth period, in order to improve the quality of the peel and keeping quality, because the harvest was planned for laying. Advantage "Teknokel Amino Sa» is precisely that it contains boron. Boron is involved in the movement of calcium in plants; calcium itself is inactive.
4. 'Teknokel Amino Mix (mix) Plus" – 1 l/ha to eliminate micronutrient deficiencies and increase plant immunity during the period of tuber growth. This comprehensive micronutrient deficiency corrector with free amino acids of plant origin helps prevent latent starvation of plants in the generative phase, acts through the enzyme system and stimulates plant growth and the development of generative organs.
5. 'Controlfit RK" (potassium phosphite) - 1 l/ha to improve product quality and increase resistance to fungal diseases. It is a fast source of phosphorus-potassium nutrition, it contains 30% phosphorus and 20% potassium.
Our experience was also different in that we used an organic preparation "Agriful A plus" (5 l / ha in total for the growing season, fractional) - for shoots 10-15 cm and after 2 weeks.
A year earlier, in the Potato System magazine No. 1/2021, I gave an example of its effectiveness. The problem of salinity is relevant for all farms with irrigation, so I recommend taking this fertilizer into circulation. What is the strength of "Agriful"? It is used for fertigation as a root biostimulant and soil biofeed. "Agriful" does not allow the soil to become saline and reduces its electrical conductivity around the root zone.
Why pay special attention toAgriful"? Betaines in its composition help to regulate the osmotic pressure inside the plants, thereby improving the availability of nutrients. "Agriful" promotes the absorption of macronutrients, and this is especially important in the face of rising prices and unstable supplies of mineral fertilizers.
Fulvic acids and organic substances work to increase plant productivity. "Agriful" can be used both for drip irrigation and for sprinkling. We applied Agriful with large-drop nozzles (for UAN) twice at 2,5 l/ha with a working fluid flow rate of 300 l/ha and then turned on the watering machine. Also an interesting and effective way - there were no burns, it is pure organic matter. Plants have taken this feed very well. From observations - the structure of the soil has improved, the earth has become looser.
Since potatoes require numerous treatments per season, the quality of spraying is of fundamental importance. Very often, farmers are faced with the problem of controlling pH and water hardness.
Hard water has a very negative effect on:
- a.i. efficiency pesticides (in particular, fungicides - this is one of the biggest costs for potatoes): due to hard water, they are subject to alkaline hydrolysis;
- sprayer nozzles: they become clogged and the work process is slowed down.
Air conditioning is used to solve these problems.Teknofit pH". It binds hardness salts so that they do not cause alkaline hydrolysis. "Teknofit pH" simultaneously acidifies alkaline and softens hard water, reduces the surface tension of water, improves the penetration of working solutions into the sheet and eliminates foaming.
The color indicator colors the water when the acidity level changes, which makes it easy to determine the required dosage without the use of special devices.
I will emphasize: in each specific case of using a particular pesticide in the preparation of a working solution, there may be subtleties, so you need to carefully read the label of each drug and work to improve water quality. Abroad, there is already such a practice - the optimal pH of the working solution is written on canisters. We hope that Russian manufacturers will also come to this soon.
On August 24, 2021, together with representatives of the farm, we made a control digging from 1,5 linear meters, weighed and laid out the tubers (Fig. 1).
What did we see? Large yield of medium fraction of potatoes in the experimental plot. Before harvesting two months - the tubers will gain weight further.
The cleaning was carried out on October 18-23, 2021.
Based on the results of harvesting the experimental and control plots, it should be noted that thanks to the new nutrition program, we were able to save an additional 4,9 tons per 1 ha for the farm. The yield of potatoes from the experimental plot was 70,1 t/ha, from the control plot - 65,2 t/ha (Table No. 2).
Table 2. Potato yield
Cleaned area, ha | Mass of harvested products, t | Productivity, t / ha | |
Control (20 ha) | 5,27 | 343,7 | 65,2 |
Experience (40 ha) | 8,25 | 578,4 | 70,1 |
I would like to express my deep gratitude to the owner of the enterprise Nikolai Nikolaevich Yuzefov and the entire staff of the farm for an honest and responsible approach to the joint business. Sergey Alekseevich Voronov, Executive Director; Petr Yurievich Khmyz, foreman-potato grower; Evgeny Vladimirovich Ustinov, agronomist, are real professionals in their field!
Additional income (net, excluding investments) at the time of harvesting by the end of October 2021 amounted to 143 rubles/ha, with investments in preparations of 300 rubles/ha and the cost of potatoes 13 rubles/kg.
Conclusion: The proposed nutrition program made it possible to maximize the potential of plants, provided the opportunity to obtain benefits both in terms of productivity and economics. This is a new guaranteed point of profit growth for your company as well.