primary and secondary tillage and land modification for potato previousnextend

Primary and secondary tillage and land modification for Potato

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Primary and secondary tillage and land Primary and secondary tillage and land modification for Potato modification for Potato

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Potato crop prefers well-pulverized seed bed for its better germination,

growth and yield.

Soil is brought to fine tilth through repeated tillage operations prior to

potato planting.

Tillage operations carried in potato cultivation can be grouped in to two,

1. Primary tillage

2. Secondary tillage.

Country plough, mould board plough, disc plough, Bose plough,

cultivator are some of the commonly used primary tillage implements in

potato cultivation.

Abstract:

Primary and secondary tillage and land modification for Primary and secondary tillage and land modification for Potato Potato

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Cultivator, harrows, planks are regularly used for secondary

tillage in potato fields.

However, country plough, cultivators and harrows are used as duel

purpose i.e. for both primary and secondary tillage operations in

potato fields in developing countries.

Land modifications for making preferred method of potato

planting, i.e. ridges and furrows in addition to other methods such

as planting flat beds, shallow furrow planting, planting tubers and

ridging etc. are made either manually or mechanically.

Primary and secondary tillage and land modification for Primary and secondary tillage and land modification for PotatoPotato

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To learn the primary and secondary tillage operations carried

out in potato cultivation in potato.

To know the different land modification needed for planting

potato.

Learning objectives:

Primary and secondary tillage and land Primary and secondary tillage and land modification for Potatomodification for Potato

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Potato ranks fourth position in the world after wheat, rice and maize

as non-cereal food crop. It is used in many ways like vegetable,

potato wafers/chips, powder, finger chips etc.

Potato tubers constitute a highly nutritious food. It provides

carbohydrates, vitamin C, minerals, high quality protein and dietary

fibre.

The potato needs well pulverized seed bed for tuber production.

Introduction:

Primary and secondary tillage and land modification for PotatoPrimary and secondary tillage and land modification for Potato

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The soil is brought to a fine tilth by giving 8-10 ploughings followed by

planking (after each ploughing).

The process of planking levels the land, breaks the clods, collects the

weeds and compresses the soil slightly. The preparation of land is

usually begin at 6-8 weeks before the sowing of potato during which

25 tonnes/ha of compost or FYM are applied to the soil.

The soil should be made free from stubbles, weeds and clods. Now-a-

days, tractors and power tillers are employed for land preparation the

latter makes the soil more pulverize, free from weeds and clods by

minimum number of tillage than that of country plough


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The tillage operation that is done after the harvest of crop to bring

the land under cultivation is known as primary tillage or ploughing.

Ploughing is the opening of the compact soil with the help of

different ploughs.

Primary tillage is done mainly to open the hard soil and to

separate the top soil from lower layers and to uprooting of weeds

also.

Potato is a crop whose growing season is short and whose

planting time is restricted. Speedy agricultural operations are a

basic need to ensure success.

Primary tillage


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The primary objective of tillage in potato is to prepare the land for

placement of tubers. The secondary objective of tillage is that is to

control the weeds in potato at the early stages of plant emergences.

Fine soil tilth is maintained for potato cultivation.

To achieve this, a very high number of tillage operations to the extent

of 6-12 times is practiced which not only cause delay in planting at

optimum time but also, disturb the aggregation of soil particles as

well as moisture content in the soil.


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Experimental results however, suggest that the number of tillage

operations can be appreciably reduced.

There are several implements used for primary tillage are as follows.

Country plough

It is an indigenous plough and is one of the most common

implements used by potato farmers of developing countries. It is

drawn with a pair of bullocks. It is used both for tilling the land and

harvesting of potato.

The plough can work up about 0.14 ha/day in the initial ploughing

and subsequently the efficiency increases to about 0.20 ha/day.

Primary and secondary tillage and land modification Primary and secondary tillage and land modification for Potatofor Potato

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It is most suitable for primary tillage of almost all types of soil in

potato cultivation.

It cuts square furrow and the soil is inverted completely depending on

the curvature given to the mould board plough and thus help in

burying the weeds.

The mould board plough ploughs to a depth of 15 cm having width

from 15 to 35 cm. It covers 0.20-0.26 ha/day.

Mould board plough


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It is a modified form of mould board plough. It is made of wood

except the share which is made of steel or iron.

The structure and function of this plough is almost similar to

mould board plough

This plough is gaining popularity among the potato farmers.

Most of the farmers of developing countries, cultivating potato

are using this plough.

Bose plough


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It is also used for ploughing which have little resemblance to

common mould board plough. It is clod breaking implements which

is invariably used for initial ploughing in hard soil under potato

cultivation. It can cover about two hectares a day.

Disc plough

Spade is most common implement used for various agricultural

operations like bunding, channeling, ridging and harvesting of

potato. It is used for breaking and preparing of the soil when the

land size is small.

Spade


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The tillage operations that are performed on the soil after primary

tillage to bring a good soil tilth are known as secondary tillage.

Secondary tillage consists of lighter or finer operation which is

done to clean the soil, break the clods and incorporate the

manures and fertilizers. Since the potato prefers fine seedbed,

the secondary tillage operations are inevitable.

Secondary tillage


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There are some implements used for secondary tillage

as follows Cultivator

It is one of the most useful implements used for secondary tillage of

potato field.

It may also be used for primary tillage cultivation and weeding

purposes soon after the emergence of the plant.

It can cover 1.0 to 1.5 hectares of land in a working day of 8 hours.

Harrow

It is commonly used for secondary tillage and is drawn by a tractor in

potato fields. Harrows are used for making the soil loose and friable.


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It makes the soil pulverized very well and hurried the weeds

completely. It can cover 1.0 hectares of the land in a working day of

8 hours in tractor attachment.

Harrows can also be attached with power tillers, but, the area

coverage will be lesser (0.5 ha/day).

Ladder or plank

It is an age old implement used for secondary tillage purposes in

potato. Planking is done to crush the hard clods level the soil surface

and to compact the soil lightly. It is pulled by a pair of bullock or

tractor.


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After tillage operations, potato is planted by different methods in

various parts of the world. However, ridge and furrow method is

the most popular method of potato planting.

The planting of potato can be grouped into two types, viz.,

manual and mechanical planting. According to planting methods,

resource availability of farmers and soil types, the land

modifications are also varies.

Hence, planting methods along with land modifications are given

hereunder

Land modification in potato


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Shallow furrows drawn with curved /narrow-blade spade followed by

planting and covered the seed tubers on the North side of the ridge.

Another method is after marking with the rope or marker on the soil

surface, tubers are placed on these lines and then ridges are made

either with bullock drawn implements or with narrow-blade spade

manually. A double row method of planting came into practice in

Jalandhar (India) in the 1950s, wherein fertilizers were applied on soil

surface as a continuous band in rows 70-80 cm apart, tubers were

placed on soil surface on both sides of the band about 10-15 cm apart,

followed by ridging.

Manual planting


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In fine textured soils, after pre-planting irrigation and when soil is in

working condition, the seed tubers are inserted in about 5 cm below

the bottom of the furrows with sturdy thin edged tool in moist soil.

In some parts of Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra

(India), while drawing the furrows with a country plough, cut seed or

small tubers are placed in the furrows by Pora or behind the plough in

the furrows manually, leaving the alternate furrow vacant.

Planking is done after planting.


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In another method, after application of fertilizers, first 10-12 cm high

ridges are formed with hand scraper or narrow blade spade or with

country plough and then tubers are dibbled at a depth of 5-7 cm from

the top in the centre of the ridge with Khurpa (a narrow-blade tool).

In heavy textured soils, furrows are opened first at a distance of 4550

cm and light irrigation is given.

At optimum soil moisture, soil is made fine and pulverized by

ploughing and then after placing the tubers, ridges are made.


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Tractor drawn 2 or 4 row marker-cum-fertilizer drill is used for making

furrows and placing of fertilizers in the furrows followed by planting with

2 or 4 row potato planter-cum-ridger.

A tractor drawn 2 or 4 row potato planter in which all the operations,

viz., opening of furrows, application of fertilizers, placement of tubers

and ridging are combined together and done simultaneously.

It saves a lot of time and reduces soil compaction by tractor wheels

compared with the method where these operations are done separately

in two trips.

Mechanical planting


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After opening shallow furrows, tubers are placed in furrows followed by

ridging with tractor drawn ridger.

In another method, ridges are made with the tractor drawn ridger after

application of fertilizers and tubers are dibbled 5-7 cm deep on the

ridges manually.

Size of the ridge

Ridges and furrows

Size of the ridge depends upon the soil texture, availability of

water and the crop is planted for ware or seed purposes. Generally, 45-

60 cm wide ridges are preferred for potato cultivation.


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Thin and low ridges are favoured for quick emergence; require low

volume of water for getting moistened and save time as well as

cost of labour.

For early potato crop, quick and early emergence and fast grow

and development is important owing to short duration of the crop.

Hence, it is desirable that only small volume of soil exists over the

seed tubers at planting and full ridge are made at earthing up.


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In case of main crop, initial ridging to a height of 5, 10 and 15 cm after

placing the seed tubers on soil surface followed by earthing up after

emergence to a uniform height gave similar yields of main crop of

potato

A good ridge having triangular shape is necessary after emergence to

with stand irrigation water, to provide space for developing tubers and

to check greening of tube from sunlight


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The ridge height is reduced gradually with the running water with

each irrigation in coarse textured soil, whereas, in fine textured soil,

negligible reduction takes place and ridges remain firm and intact.

However, delayed irrigation at bulking favours development of

cracks in soils giving passage to sun rays which cause greening to

the tubers.

Potato crop needs well pulverized soil for its better performance.

The main objectives of tillage in potato are to prepare the land for

placement of tubers and to control the weeds.

Summary:


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Bose plough is a common plough in developing countries and Disc

plough is used for initial ploughing in hard soil under potato

cultivation.

Secondary tillage consists of lighter or finer operation which is done

through harrows, cultivator and planking.

Ridge and furrow method is the most popul

Planting in shallow furrows, marking and tubers are placed on these

lines, planting after pre-planting irrigation, inserting seed tubers 5 cm

below the bottom of the furrows, Pora or behind the plough, are some

of the manual methods followed in potato cultivation.


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Tractor drawn 2 or 4 row marker-cum-fertilizer drill, tractor drawn 2 or

4 row potato planter, ridging with tractor drawn ridger are some of the

popular mechanical planting methods of potato.

Generally, 45-60 cm wide ridges are preferred for potato cultivation.

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Assessment

1.Potato crop needs well pulverized soil (True / False)

2.Main objectives of tillage in potato is to make inter-cultural operations

(True / False)

3.Country plough is one of the most common implements used by potato

farmers of developing countries (True / False)

4.Harrow is commonly used for primary tillage and is drawn by a tractor in

potato fields (True / False)

5.Cultivators can be used for primary tillage cultivation and weeding

purposes soon after the emergence of the plant (True / False)

6.Ridge and furrow method is the most popular method of potato planting

(True / False)

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References

Hari Om and R.S. Hooda. 1985. Effect of methods of planting and

fertilizer levels on yield and quality of the potato. Journal of Indian

Potato Association. 12 (1-2): 105-109

http://www.niir.org/books/book/potato-potato-products-cultivation-seed-

production-manuring-harvesting-organic-farming-storage-processing-

npcs-board-consultants-engineers/isbn-9788190439893/

zb,,131,a,0,0,a/index.html

Kushwah, V.S. and P.M. Govindakrishnan, 1993. Cultural practices for

potato cultivation. In: Advances in Horticulture, Vol. 7-Potato. Eds.

Chandha, K.L. and J.S. Grewal, Malhotra Publishing House, New Delhi.

Kushwah, V.S. and S.S. Lal. 1988. Cultural practices for seed potato

production. Seeds and Farms. 14 (9): 11-15.

primary and secondary tillage and land modification for potato previousnextend

Documents

primary tillage

secondary tillage operations

planting potato

potato cultivation

potato tubers

potato fields

potato waferschips

sowing of potato