Potato Seed Production: What are the new techniques of potato seed production?

Potato Seed Production: Potato is a crop which is in demand not only in India but all over the world and its consumption is more than all other vegetables. In such a situation, farmers can earn profit by cultivating potatoes, provided they produce good quality potatoes and for this they will need the best seeds.

Along with growing potato crop, farmers also need to focus on advanced seed production of potatoes, because only when the seeds are of good quality, the crop will also be good. In such a situation, agricultural scientists have developed many new techniques of potato seed production, so that the quality of potato seeds can be further improved and farmers can get a better crop.

Improving The Quality Of Potato Seeds

To improve the quality of potato seeds, it is necessary that the initial seed tuber should be multiplied as much as possible in a short time without taking it to the field. If the seed tuber is multiplied directly in the field, then its quality is affected by many factors. Therefore, seed multiplication is done using modern technology.

In this, the initial stage of multiplication is done in the laboratory. The subsequent multiplication is completed in the net house, due to which the crop remains safe. The net house is not affected by the disease-spreading vector, due to which the crop remains safe from disease. Seeds are produced through three methods with new technology-

Micro Plant Based Seed Production

In this method, virus free plants are multiplied in appropriate numbers in bacteria free conditions in test tubes by in vitro technique and when the plants grow, they are multiplied further.

Hardening of small plants

Usually 3-4 weeks old small plants are shifted to pro-trays, which are already filled with bacteria free peat-moss.

After transplantation, the plant media in the pro-tray is moistened with a solution of 0.2% Mancozeb.

After this, the pro-tray is kept in the dark for 48 hours and it is kept in light for 16 hours for 2-3 days.

Then, for hardening, the pro-tray is brought to a room where the temperature is 27 degrees Celsius. The plants are kept here for 10-15 days.

Production of small tubers

The hardened plants are first planted in the prepared nursery beds. While planting them, the distance between rows is kept at 30 cm and the distance between plants is kept at 10-15 cm. Soil, sand and cow dung manure are added in the nursery beds in the ratio of 2:1:1.

After transplanting, the plants are irrigated immediately and thereafter irrigation should be done twice a day as per requirement.

Use only half the amount of fertilizer recommended for seed crop.

The entire phosphorus, potash and half nitrogen should be applied while preparing the beds before transplanting the plants. The remaining nitrogen should be applied 45 days later at the time of soil filling.

All the diseased, virus-affected and different looking plants should be removed.

Digging should be done only after the plants are mature. The tubers should be dug out 10-15 days after cutting the vine of the seed crop so that the skin of the tuber hardens. For curing, small tubers should be kept in heaps in a shady and airy place for 10-15 days.

The tubers should be divided into two categories. First, more than 3 grams and second, less than 3 grams. After this, treat it in 3 percent solution of boric acid for 30 minutes, this will prevent diseases in potato seeds.

After this, dry the tuber seeds and keep them in cold storage.

Micro Tuber Based Seed Production

Micro tubers are grown in a controlled environment room, then they are multiplied by planting them in a net house.

Production of small tubers

Nodal cuttings of virus free stock are multiplied in bacteria free condition inside culture tubes on MS media. After this, cuttings with 3-4 nodes are made of small plants of 3-4 weeks of age, which are put in 25-35 ml of liquid media in a 200 ml flask and kept in light for 16 hours at 25 degrees Celsius.

Usually after 3-4 weeks, when the height of the plant increases and the remaining liquid media is removed, then new media is added to it.

The media helpful in the formation of small tubers is added at the rate of 40 ml per flask. After this, the flasks are kept in a completely dark room at a temperature of 15 degrees centigrade for 60-90 days. Then small tubers are formed on it, the number of which is 15-20 per flask and its weight is 50-300 mg per tuber.

Before plucking the tubers, these flasks are kept in a growing room at a temperature of 22-24 degrees centigrade in 16 hours of light for 10-15 days so that the tubers turn green. This increases their storage capacity, i.e. they can be stored for longer periods. 

Then carefully remove the plants from the flask and separate the micro tubers by breaking them and make sure that there is no damage to the upper surface of the tubers. After this, wash the tubers and treat them in 0.1 percent carbendazim solution for 10 minutes and then leave them to dry in a dark room at a temperature of 20 degrees centigrade. Later, they can be filled in polythene with holes and kept in cold storage for 5-6 months.

Aeroponic Based Seed Production

You must have heard about aeropic farming, where crops are grown without soil in closed rooms. Potato seeds are produced using aeroponic technology. In this method, the upper part of the plant grows in air and light, while the root and tuber grow in a closed box.

Production of small tubers

Usually, cuttings of 3-4 week old small plants are planted in pro-trays. Immediately after planting the cuttings, the plants are irrigated with a solution of Dithane M.Z-78 and Vabistine.

It is kept in the dark for the first 48 hours and then in light for 16 hours for 3-4 days. After this, it is kept at a temperature of 27 degrees centigrade for 15 days so that the plants harden. A solution of all the necessary nutrients is prepared and put in the ‘nutrient chamber’ and its pH value is stabilized. For the first two weeks, the elements that help in the formation of roots are mixed in the solution and given.

The hardened plants are taken out from the pro-tray and their root part is cut and planted in a hole of 20 mm diameter on the roof of the box. The distance between the plants is kept 15 cm on both sides.

Branches of the potato grow

The branches of the potato grow in the air and light above the growth chamber, while the root and tuber grow in the darkness inside the chamber. After this, the nutrient solution is sprayed in the form of mist in this room with the help of a machine. This maintains moisture and the plants do not dry up. In this method, the roots develop in a month and after this, a solution of nutrients that help in the formation of tubers is used.

The first harvesting of tubers can be done after 45 days. For this, the side panel or the upper panel is removed and the tubers are broken and separated by hand. Before storing, they are dried for 24-48 hours, then treated and stored in cold storage. Tubers larger than 3 grams are used for sowing, while tubers smaller than this are planted in a net house and multiplied once again.

To earn profit from potato cultivation, it is important that farmers choose disease-free seeds. Before sowing potatoes, the soil of the field should be prepared in an organic way, which gives a good yield of potatoes. Treating the seeds before sowing also reduces the possibility of disease in the crop.