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Potato

Scientific name: Solanum tuberosum
Family: Solanaceae

Growth stages 

 

Pests 

For weeds and diseases please see further down on this page. For rodents, snails and slugs please click here 

Seed

 
Tubers   Root knot nematode
White grub
Wireworm

Seedling Stage

 
Stem   Cutworm
Leaves   Colorado potato beetle
Mealybug
Potato flea beetle
Potato tuber moth

Vegetative Stage

 
Stems  Aphids
Armyworm
Colorado potato beetle
Corn borer
Mealybug
Potato tuber moth
Leaves  Aphids
Armyworm
Colorado potato beetle
Leaf miner
Mealybug
Potato flea beetle
Potato leafhopper
Potato tuber moth
Spider mites
Thrips

Reproductive Stage

 
Flowers  Aphids
Potato flea beetle
Potato leafhopper
Thrips
Tubers   Colorado potato beetle
Potato flea beetle
Potato tuber moth
Root knot nematode
Wireworm

Maturation stage

 
Tubers   Potato flea beetle
Potato tuber moth
Psyllids
Root knot nematode
White grub
Wireworm

Weeds

Grasses
Sedges
Broadleaf

Diseases

Fungal
Bacterial
Viral

Agro-ecology

Potatoes planted with horse radish and/or tansy ward off Colorado potato beetles (DA, 1997: pp. 1-19). An intercropping system for organic potato production with sunflowers, beans, lupine, buckwheat that are sown at two-time points into the potato crop suppress creeping thistle, Cirsium arvense (Juen; Schermer; Traugott, 2003). Potatoes planted in rotation or intercropped with barley, corn, peas, or wheat prevent soil exhaustion. In this case, intercrops are planted at the bottom or at the edge of the furrows and the potatoes in the ridge (Duke, 1983).

Plow-under available organic manures before seedbed preparation to enhance the water-holding capacity of the soil. To produce more efficient fertilizer use, place fertilizer in close proximity but not in contact with seed tubers. The risks of damage to tubers increase in dry conditions, on light soils, where pre-sprouted seed is planted, or where more than 250 kg/ha N plus potash are applied together (Askew, undated). Fertilizer recommendations based on soil analysis offer the very best chance of getting the right amount of fertilizer without over or under fertilizing. Ask for assistance from the local agriculturist office for soil sampling and soil analysis procedures.

Further information

The International Potato Center (CIP) is leading a global effort to develop practices that control pests without chemicals. Among these are biologically safe practices such as potato cultivars with resistance to pests, and the use of natural predators and fungi. In the coming years, potato production in South, West, and Southeast Asia will receive a major boost from a potato production system that utilizes hybrid true potato seed (TPS) as the planting material. TPS is the botanical seed derived from the berries produced by the potato plant. The use of true potato seed is expected to replace an estimated 20 percent of the seed tubers used for potato production in areas where healthy quality tuber seeds are not available. These areas are the rainfed mountain production zones and in countries that do not have sustainable seed production programs (CGIAR, 2003).

External links


References


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