EFFECT OF PLANTING METHODS ON SEED MULTIPLICATION COEFFICIENT OF EARLY POTATO CULTIVARS
Keywords:
potato plants, agro-ecological zones, diseasefree, minitubers, aeroponics, suboptimal agronomic practices.Abstract
First early or 'new' potatoes are so-called because they are the earliest to crop, in June. They take 10-12 weeks to mature. Plant 30cm apart, with 60cm between rows, around 12cm deep. To obtain fast and uniform germination of potato plants, the tubers should be planted in moist soil or irrigated after planting to stimulate root development and more active germination of tubers in moist soil. Second early potatoes take 14-16 weeks to mature. As with first earlies, plant them 30cm apart, in rows 60cm apart, 12cm deep. Early, or new potatoes are fast and easy to grow. Dug fresh from the garden, they're a melt-in-the-mouth delight that taste so much better than shop bought ones. They also require much less space to grow than later varieties, so are ideal for small gardens. Try growing in the ground, in large containers or potato growing bags. January is the time to buy seed potatoes, but with so many varieties out there, it's worth knowing which ones have the best flavour and biggest harvests.
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