Potatoes need rich, well-dug, wet, and acidic soil with a pH less than 6.
They do not thrive in hard clay or dung soil, which encourages potato scab, as that’s always. rotate your potato patch every year to avoid this.
Phase 2: The Vegetative Phase
The vegetative phase is the beginning of the growth cycle of the potato plant. This is when the visible part of the plant emerges, with its leaves, stem, and root system.
Photosynthesis also begins during this time, providing nutrition to the growing plant. Ideal conditions for tuber formation are a temperature of at least 77 degrees Fahrenheit, long days with 14 to 18 hours of daylight, and a low nitrogen content. Leaf growth continues during this stage, but tuber initiation is not a priority.
What are the Stages of Potato Growth?
The potato growing cycle lasts for about three months and includes five main growth stages. However, we cannot see the development as it happens underground.
Stage III: Tuber Initiation
In Growth Stage III, new tubers form at the tips of the stolons. Tubers are not expanding at this stage, which coincides with the onset of flowering in many cultivars. It is vital at this stage that your potato plants receive a steady supply of water.
Tubers begin to enlarge in Growth Stage IV, the stage known as tuber bulking. During this stage, the potato plant accumulates water, nutrients and carbohydrates. These are deposited in tubers, usually 5-15 which grow to a larger size. Tuberculosis can last up to three months.
Tuber initiation:
The tubers begin to form at the top of the stolon of the potato plant, but are not yet expanding at this stage. Stolon is essentially an underground stem and most of the potato mass is located 18-24 inches below the soil surface. The shallow part of the tuber means they needed a lot of water, which is important for healthy potato growth. Along with irrigation, the photosynthesis process plays a vital role in the nutrition of the plant and nutrients are stored in the early tubers that are needed in the next stage, where they begin to bulk up. The tuber initiation period lasts for about two weeks. For most potato varieties, a stage is reached where plants transition to the reproductive stage.
The tuber cells begin to expand and grow significantly in the next stage of development. This is the buildup of carbohydrates, water, and other nutrients in the tubers. This growth phase lasts the longest and takes about three months to complete, depending on the growing conditions and type of potato plant. During this period, the plant prefers cooler temperatures with shorter days.
Leave a Reply