For a long time, potatoes have been known as the most valuable human food product. In addition, it is one of the productive field crops grown for technical and fodder purposes. “To cultivate potatoes in the fields,” wrote Academician D.N. Pryanishnikov, is the same as getting three ears where one used to grow. In the people, potatoes are rightly called the second bread. The potato growers of the country, performing a set of necessary agrotechnical practices, correctly carrying out variety renewal, have proved that in most districts and regions it is possible to obtain stable yields of tubers annually in the range of 250-300 c/ha. Confidently fulfill these indicators and in one of the advanced farms of the Moscow region, OOO “Razdolie”. Here in 2019, a record potato crop was grown and harvested: about 9 thousand tons. The agronomist of the farm Roman Karpunin again visited the editorial office of GlavAgronom, who shared the professional secrets of growing “Zavidovsky” potatoes.
GlavAgronom. How long have you been cultivating potatoes on the farm of Razdolie LLC?
Roman Karpunin. Razdolie LLC started growing potatoes in 2015. It must be said that putting the fields in order after their downtime for 15-20 years was not an easy task, and this work is still being done. Forests have grown in many areas, where mushrooms and berries abound in summer. But, despite all the difficulties, we try to introduce new areas every year, and if possible, we remove woody vegetation.
GlavAgronom. What is the potato cultivation technology – with row spacing of 70 or 90 cm?
Roman Karpunin. For ourselves, we chose a technology that is not very common in Russia with a row spacing of 90 cm. This allows us to increase the productivity of agricultural machines, reduce soil density in the tuber formation zone, increase the marketability and yield of potatoes, and reduce seed consumption when growing for food purposes. The water-air regime created with this technology reduces the infestation of plants with late blight by 10-15%, tubers – by 2-3 times.
glavagronom.ruPhoto: glavagronom.ruPotatoes grown in Razdolie LLC
GlavAgronom. Potato requirements for predecessors in crop rotation vary depending on soil and climatic conditions. What are your predecessors in the area when cultivating potatoes?
Roman Karpunin. The selection of crops for crop rotation largely depends on the direction of the economy. In our time, many agricultural enterprises have any one priority direction: either animal husbandry or crop production. And already, on the basis of this, a plan is drawn up for the placement of crops in a crop rotation. Definitely, each climatic zone has its own characteristics. For example, in the central climatic zone, as a rule, grain crops, crops of perennial and annual grasses, rarely row crops and industrial crops are chosen as the main predecessors for potatoes. Repeat plantings of monoculture are also practiced. On our fields, we use a four-field crop rotation using winter (wheat, rye) and spring (oats) crops, and we also come to sowing, as an intermediate crop, a vetch-oat mixture. If you have to place potatoes on potatoes, then no more than two years in one field. But, as a rule, we try to rotate the fields in such a way that the culture returns to it at least after one season.
GlavAgronom. How long do you use re-planting crops? Of all the agricultural practices that contribute to higher potato yields, tillage is of the utmost importance. Potatoes make high demands on the physical condition of the soil, that is, its friability, sifting and moisture. Tell us the sequence and timing of tillage for potatoes: basic, or autumn and pre-planting.
Roman Karpunin. We try to keep ploughing to a minimum. Therefore, autumn tillage after cereals is carried out only with disc harrows in one or two tracks. In the spring, if necessary, we carry out either plowing or processing with a cultivator with a subsoiler. Thus, before planting, we create the most favorable conditions for the growth and development of potato plants.
GlavAgronom. The most effective and common organic fertilizer is manure, the quality of which depends on the amount of bedding, its physical and chemical properties, the type of animals, their age, the duration of the stall period and the quality of the feed. What is the efficiency of using manure for potatoes on the farm, the rate of manure when applied? How does the potato yield change depending on the doses of manure? What is the way to store manure on the farm? Whether other forms of organic fertilizers are applied. Are green manure fertilizers used? List the doses, terms and methods of applying mineral fertilizers for potatoes.
Roman Karpunin. The role of organic fertilizers in the farming system of any economy is undeniable. But due to the fact that companies.
GlavAgronom. In the general complex of measures for obtaining a high yield of potatoes, the quality of planting material and its preparation for planting are of great importance. Does the farm carry out sorting or calibration with the separation of seed tubers into fractions, sorting of planting material, germination?
Roman Karpunin. Due to the fact that when planting potatoes of various fractions, uneven seedlings are possible, we sort and calibrate the planting material. As a rule, we use tubers ranging in size from 35 to 50 mm. Until the moment of planting, we try to maintain the optimal temperature in the storage, when the tubers are already starting to wake up and sprout, but at the same time we do not allow the sprouts to stretch into threads (which can be observed at high temperatures and lack of lighting).
GlavAgronom. At what calendar time are tubers planted?
Roman Karpunin. As a rule, we leave for landing quite early, already in the first days of May. We try to land within 9-11 days. It is not worth delaying planting because of the uneven emergence of potato seedlings, which can lead to inconvenience in planning both planting treatments and agrotechnical operations in general on the fields of the farm.
GlavAgronom. What method of planting with row spacing is the most common on the farm? Landing depth? Planting material planting rates depending on the planting pattern?
Roman Karpunin. Absolutely all plantings of potatoes have a width between rows of 90 cm. The planting depth is adjustable based on such indicators as soil structure, quality, seed variety. As a rule, this indicator varies at the level of 16-22 cm. The planting rate is maintained from 36 thousand to 39 thousand tubers per hectare with a distance between tubers of 28-32 cm.
GlavAgronom. Is the seed material systematically updated?
Roman Karpunin. The resulting crop directly depends on the quality of the seed material, so we annually update the planting material with a reproduction no lower than the elite. We select seed plots from which we leave the seeds for another one or two years.
glavagronom.ruPhoto: glavagronom.ruPotatoes grown in Razdolie LLC
GlavAgronom. Your farm is focused on the production of which seed potatoes? What zoned varieties of potatoes prevail?
Roman Karpunin. Our production is focused on the supply of potatoes to the largest networks in the country, which place very high demands on the quality of the supplied products. In this regard, we select varieties of German and Dutch breeding due to their high and stable productivity, excellent taste. At the moment, in our line we have such varieties as Queen Anna, Red Scarlett, Gala, Colombo. In addition, we annually lay out plots where we plant new promising varieties of potatoes, study their potential and value for further production.
GlavAgronom. Is the resistance of varieties to diseases and pests of the crop taken into account?
Roman Karpunin. Potato is one of the most common crops in the world, and therefore the number of pathogens and pests is very high. Of course, there are varieties that can be resistant to one or more harmful objects, but in any case, plantings must be protected from a complex of harmful organisms. Modern drugs are able to provide, with proper and timely use, protection of potatoes from most known diseases and pests, therefore, when choosing a variety, we are more guided by such indicators as yield, market demand, and external product indicators.
GlavAgronom. In the general complex of measures for obtaining a high yield of potatoes, the quality of planting material and its preparation for planting are of great importance. Does the farm carry out sorting or calibration with the separation of seed tubers into fractions, sorting of planting material, germination?
Roman Karpunin. Due to the fact that when planting potatoes of various fractions, uneven seedlings are possible, we sort and calibrate the planting material. As a rule, we use tubers ranging in size from 35 to 50 mm. Until the moment of planting, we try to maintain the optimal temperature in the storage, when the tubers are already starting to wake up and sprout, but at the same time we do not allow the sprouts to stretch into threads (which can be observed at high temperatures and lack of lighting).
GlavAgronom. At what calendar time are tubers planted?
Roman Karpunin. As a rule, we leave for landing quite early, already in the first days of May. We try to land within 9-11 days. It is not worth delaying planting because of the uneven emergence of potato seedlings, which can lead to inconvenience in planning both planting treatments and agrotechnical operations in general on the fields of the farm.
GlavAgronom. What method of planting with row spacing is the most common on the farm? Landing depth? Planting material planting rates depending on the planting pattern?
Roman Karpunin. Absolutely all plantings of potatoes have a width between rows of 90 cm. The planting depth is adjustable based on such indicators as soil structure, quality, seed variety. As a rule, this indicator varies at the level of 16-22 cm. The planting rate is maintained from 36 thousand to 39 thousand tubers per hectare with a distance between tubers of 28-32 cm.
GlavAgronom. Is the seed material systematically updated?
Roman Karpunin. The resulting crop directly depends on the quality of the seed material, so we annually update the planting material with a reproduction no lower than the elite. We select seed plots from which we leave the seeds for another one or two years.
glavagronom.ruPhoto: glavagronom.ruPotatoes grown in Razdolie LLC
GlavAgronom. Your farm is focused on the production of which seed potatoes? What zoned varieties of potatoes prevail?
Roman Karpunin. Our production is focused on the supply of potatoes to the largest networks in the country, which place very high demands on the quality of the supplied products. In this regard, we select varieties of German and Dutch breeding due to their high and stable productivity, excellent taste. At the moment, in our line we have such varieties as Queen Anna, Red Scarlett, Gala, Colombo. In addition, we annually lay out plots where we plant new promising varieties of potatoes, study their potential and value for further production.
GlavAgronom. Is the resistance of varieties to diseases and pests of the crop taken into account?
Roman Karpunin. Potato is one of the most common crops in the world, and therefore the number of pathogens and pests is very high. Of course, there are varieties that can be resistant to one or more harmful objects, but in any case, plantings must be protected from a complex of harmful organisms. Modern drugs are able to provide, with proper and timely use, protection of potatoes from most known diseases and pests, therefore, when choosing a variety, we are more guided by such indicators as yield, market demand, and external product indicators.
GlavAgronom. Are all plantings of potatoes subject to annual inspection to identify quarantine objects – potato cancer, potato nematode, potato moth, etc.?
Roman Karpunin. Definitely, we conduct annual studies of potato plantings for the presence of quarantine objects, since our products are supplied in networks throughout Russia, right up to the Far East.
glavagronom.ruPhoto: glavagronom.ruPotatoes grown in Razdolie LLC
GlavAgronom. Cleaning is one of the most labor-intensive tasks. The beginning and duration of harvesting is set depending on the purpose of the potato and its physiological maturity. In what period is the pre-harvest haulm removal carried out and in what way: chemical, mechanical or combined. What haulm harvester is used for haulm cutting? What kind of potato harvester is used to harvest tubers, domestic or imported? Is re-plowing carried out with the re-selection of the remaining tubers?
Roman Karpunin. Since we are trying to plant early-ripening varieties, we begin desiccation of tops already in early August. As a rule, this is a chemical burning in conjunction with a fungicide to prevent the spread of late blight on potato tubers. Desiccation of the main areas usually begins in mid-August, and here we already apply a combined scheme, when, after burning, we mow the haulm. To do this, we use Grimme defoliators.
In our arsenal we use imported Grimme potato harvesters. They have very good performance, cleaning quality and energy consumption. On average, two harvesters dig up from 320 to 400 tons of potatoes per day.
GlavAgronom. How is the sale of tubers? Have you set purchase prices for elite, varietal seed potatoes?
Roman Karpunin. The bulk of the potatoes for sale are food. We certify all products and sell them in packages of 5 and 25 kg to large retail chains in the country. Shipment of products is going on at the moment, and is in stable demand in the market. When determining purchase prices, we, of course, rely on market indicators, but we can say with confidence that at the moment our potatoes are sold at prices above the average market due to their high quality.
riamo.ruPhoto: riamo.ruWorking on the sorting belt
GlavAgronom. To determine the sowing qualities of seed tubers in the fall, before storing, before selling and before planting, do you carry out a tuber analysis?
Roman Karpunin. For planting potatoes, we use only high-quality and proven seed material. The main danger is represented by diseases such as black leg, various rot, and also infection with viral diseases. Therefore, after checking in accredited laboratories, we make a decision on whether it is expedient to leave our planting material, or whether it is necessary to update it. That is, we try to minimize the risks associated with a shortfall in yield due to planting low-quality seeds.
GlavAgronom. What is the average potato yield per hectare in the current year and in the previous three years?
Roman Karpunin. The average yield in 2019 was 52 tons per hectare in net weight. In previous years, this figure ranged from 23 to 29 tons per hectare.
GlavAgronom. Storage. What preventive measures before laying potatoes for storage are carried out in a potato storage, what type of storage is on the farm?
Roman Karpunin. We lay the harvest only in disinfected warehouses. At the same time, all warehouse equipment and premises are fully processed. Rodent control is in progress. For storage, we use hangar-type storages, which are distinguished by their simplicity of design, efficiency, low energy consumption and ease of laying the crop.
GlavAgronom. Does the farm grow early potatoes, what are the features of agricultural technology when growing it?
Roman Karpunin. It must be understood that early potatoes are products that arrive on store shelves from the southern regions as early as early July. Unfortunately, in our conditions, it is almost impossible to get a potato harvest in these terms, therefore, the earliest time when we are ready to ship our products is mid-August. Of course, it is possible to plant tubers under a film in the twentieth of April, but this is very expensive, and, ultimately, does not guarantee an early release of products for sale.
GlavAgronom. Thanks for the conversation!
