From Small Plot to Abundant Harvest: A Potato Farming Success Story

Research by Dheerendra Singh a PhD Student with his mentor Prof. Dr. Janmejay Sharma from Department of Agronomy, College of Agriculture, Gwalior, India. The study conducted at the Research Farm of ICAR-Central Potato Research Institute in Gwalior aimed to investigate the impact of planting dates on the performance of potato crops, focusing on the Rabi seasons of 2021-22 and 2022-23. The experiment encompassed seven distinct planting dates, from September 15 to December 14, and utilized a randomized block design with four replications. The chosen potato variety was Kufri Mohan, planted at a seed rate of 3.5 t ha-1 and spaced at 60 cm x 20 cm. The recommended dose of chemical fertilizers (180:80:120 kg ha-1 N: P2O5:K2O) was applied. Various growth and yield attributes, nutrient content and uptake, storage behavior, quality parameters, and economic aspects were monitored to assess the performance of the potato crop. The results indicated that, among the different planting dates considered, planting on October 30 emerged as the most economically viable option to achieve optimum yields for the Kufri Mohan variety. Furthermore, planting the Kufri Mohan variety between October 15 and November 14 was recommended for better yields and minimal storage losses. These findings contribute valuable insights into the influence of planting dates on potato crop performance, providing practical recommendations for farmers to optimize yields and economic returns. The study underscores the importance of considering climatic factors and a