Pre-sprouting seedpotatoes
Reduced risk of Y virus and Erwina
Pre-sprouting can achieve a growth advantage of 10-14 days
Benefits
- Reduced risk of Y-virus infection. The potatoes have greater age resistance and the crop can be destroyed before any aphid infestation.
- Reduced risk of Erwinia. The risk of Erwinia is reduced as the mother tuber is exhausted sooner.
- Seed potatoes destined for early purposes must have sufficient physiological age.
- Possible to spreading planting and harvesting. Lots planted last remain in good condition.
- Any harvest risk decreases due to the rapid start.
- The fields are cleared sooner.
This creates more time to sow a green manure crop. - Varieties cultivated for starch are often have a slow start and late harvest.
- The following varieties often give a higher yield: Spunta, Fabula, Festien, Agria, Markies, Kuroda, Desiree and Mondial
Do you have good experiences with pre-sprouting a variety for seed potato cultivation?
Let us know then we can share your experiences in practice.
Advisory calendar
seed potatoes
ALL RECOMMENDATIONS ARE FOR AVERAGE CONDITIONS IN THE NETHERLANDS.
BECAUSE WE HAVE NO INFLUENCE ON SEED QUALITY, WEATHER, BUILDINGS, MACHINERY AND OPERATOR EXPERTISE WE CANNOT ACCEPT ANY LIABILITY FOR RESULTS.
PB 3 and 4
in pre-sprouting bags
- The seed potatoes collected in the pre-sprouting crates are placed in the pre-sprouting bags on the field.
- The yield can be saved per pre-sprouting bag.
- The crate racks can be easily and safely stacked in the cold store.
- The crate racks can also be mounted on a crate trolley.
Advice*
- Top sprout
Plenty of tubers in saleable size = good revenue. Apical dominance can be broken by breaking the top shoot with a crate turner, or using a sprout inhibitor. Slightly warmer storage conditions will produce more sprouts. Store at 5°-6°C instead of 3°-4°C. - Potatoes grow faster in warm soil.
The seed potatoes will remain in good condition in the pre-sprouting bags. - Turning the crates can help produce more sprouts. Turning once or twice is enough to stimulate the top shoot.
- Hardening off can then start in pre-sprouting bags. The benefits are: earliness, faster aging of mother tubers, less work and less risk of soil compaction.
- Warming
If the seed potatoes are very cold and/or it is late in the season, it is a good idea to warm the seed potatoes. In practice, this is usually done at a temperature of 18°-20°C for 3-5 days. Continue heating until the white sprouting tips appear. Then stop heating immediately. Ensure there is enough oxygen in the room. - Hardening off
Indoors: an insulated shed with plenty of natural draught is the best option. Ensure there are doors or shutters in the shed that can be opened.
Outdoors: this gives the best hardening off results.
– Place the pre-sprouting racks in the windiest position in your yard.
– Place the racks 1 m apart.
– Place the racks in a north-south direction if possible.
– Move the pre-sprouting racks indoors if there is a risk of frost.
– Ensure maximum ventilation. Use indoor ventilation if necessary.
– Place the racks outdoors again as soon as possible. - Transfer to another bag
If the pre-sprouting racks are outdoors or in a shed, this is not necessary. With a late spring, the leaves on the trees around your farm can inhibit the wind from the end of April. Place the pre-sprouting racks in another windy place if possible and let the power of the wind work for you. If this is not ideal and the sprouts have become too long, you can transfer them to another bag once. Lift a full rack above an empty rack with a forklift. Loosen the Velcro fastening from a full bag to release the seed potatoes into the empty pre-sprouting bag.
- Hardening off time
At least 5 weeks. After that, the longer the better, provided that the pre-sprouting bags are fully exposed to the wind and sunlight. - Which pre-sprouting bag?
Wide pre-sprouting bag (14 cm cord). Capacity 125 kg per bag. Rain covers are not necessary if hardening off takes place indoors. A rain cover is recommended if hardening off takes place outdoors.
* ALL ADVICE GIVEN APPLIES TO AVERAGE CONDITIONS IN THE NETHERLANDS. AS WE HAVE NO INFLUENCE ON THE QUALITY OF SEED POTATOES, WEATHER, BUILDINGS, MACHINERY AND THE EXPERTISE OF THE USER, WE CANNOT ACCEPT ANY LIABILITY FOR THE RESULTS.
Hardening
in draw shed
An insulated shed with plenty of natural draught is the best option. Ensure there are doors or shutters in the shed that can be opened.
The wind and sunlight ensure good hardening off results. Close the doors and shutters if there is a risk of frost.
Stacking
3 high
The Sprinter2 pre-sprouting racks can be stacked 3-high. The stack is 4.5 m high.
Each stack is 4,200 kg.
Unloading
in the planter
The planter can be filled quickly.
Unfasten the Velcro.
The drop height is low.
Interesting articles
Here you can read articles from the trade press. Colleagues talk candidly about their experiences. Take advantage of this opportunity!
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