Potato cultivation

Nutrient

Potato is highly popular worldwide. A medium size potato has 40-45 percent of daily requirement for vitamin c for a person. Potato contains nearer to 80 percent water and 20 percent dry matter. In that amount of dry matter contains 60-80 percent is starch. A remarkable amount of food demand fulfilled with potato especially in the developing countries. More than 50 percent of world production contributes by the developing countries.   

   

Nutrient contains of per 100 grams potato after boiling and before peeling.

No.	Nutrient	Quantity
1	Vitamin c	13.0 milligrams
2	Protein	1.87 grams
3	Fat	0.1 grams
4	Fibre	1.8 grams
5	Carbohydrate	20.13 grams
6	Calcium	5 milligrams
7	Potassium	379 milligrams
8	Phosphorus	44 milligrams
9	Iron	0.31 milligrams
10	Niacin	1.44 milligrams
11	Thiamin	0.106 milligrams
12	Riboflavin	0.02 milligrams

Land and weather:

Potato grows best in the well-drained sandy loam soils. Rocks free and flatness of the land is suitable for potato cultivation. Soil pH required 5.0 to 5.5 for the best production. This is a cool weather crop. In the period of tuber development temperature should be 17-20° C, 20° C for vegetative growth and 25° C at the time of germination. At the time of plantation soil temperature required 8-10° C at the depth of 4 inch.

Irrigation:

60 to 80 percent soil moisture is the optimum level for the cultivation of potato. At the vegetative period moisture should not be very high. 15-20 CM rainfall or same amount irrigation is sufficient.

Insects:

Weeds should control in potato field. They cause reduce production being hosts for insect and can spread diseases. Dozen type of insects attack in potato field.  Most of them cutworm, crickets, leafhopper, tuberworm, flea beetles. Some of them transmit virus dieses. Select land for potato cultivation the land was sod and grass free in previous year otherwise having chance to attack with wireworm and grubworm in the potato field. Chemical pesticides use increasing in developing countries in potato field that is very dangerous for environment.      

Disease:

Diseases of potato are classified according to casual agents, such as virus, bacteria, fungus. Late blight disease is most serious worldwide. To prevent diseases in potato must use certified dieses free seeds if required seeds should be treated with recommended chemical.