Growing Potato
Crop Nutrition Advice

Potato originates in the tropical high-altitude areas of the Andes but is now grown from sea level up to 4,700 meters above sea level, from southern Chile to Greenland. It requires a well-drained, well-aerated, porous soil with pH ranges from 5 to 7.5. The crop is moderately sensitive to soil salinity.

The potato crop plays a critical role in global food security. It is a nutrient-rich staple for millions of people worldwide. The crop provides essential nutrients, including carbohydrates, vitamins (such as vitamin C), and minerals (like potassium). It also has a high caloric yield per unit of land and is grown in various climates and terrains, making potatoes accessible to diverse populations.

Potatoes are Resilient and Affordable

Potatoes are resilient crops that can withstand adverse conditions like drought, poor soil, and extreme temperatures. This resilience contributes to food security during challenging times. Potatoes are also affordable and accessible to people across income levels, providing sustenance without straining household budgets.

A reliable potato crop ensures a stable food supply. When other crops fail due to weather or pests, potatoes remain a dependable source of nutrition and thus contribute to food security. In summary, potatoes are more than just a side dish—they are a lifeline for many, supporting global food security.

Global Production

Currently, potatoes are farmed on 20 million hectares, producing 365 million mt per year (FAOSTAT, 2022). While between 2000 and 2022, the cultivated area for potato decreased by 11%, production has increased by 16%, reflecting an overall increase in average yield per hectare of 25%, from 16 to 21 mt/ha.

Potato Usage and Quality Preferences

Potatoes serve various purposes, and their utilization can be categorized as follows:

1. Fresh Consumption: Approximately two-thirds of the potato harvest is destined for fresh consumption. When it comes to eating potatoes directly, factors like taste and skin appearance take center stage. Consumers seek flavorful, visually appealing spuds for their meals.
2. Seeds: About 10% of the potato yield is reserved for seed production. These seed potatoes are used for planting new crops in subsequent seasons.
3. Processing Industry: The remaining 25% of potatoes find their way into the processing industry. Here, they are transformed into products such as French fries, potato chips (crisps), and starch. When it comes to making French fries and crisps, quality considerations shift. The critical factors become starch content (which is closely correlated with specific gravity) and fry color. Potatoes with the right starch levels yield crispy, golden fries and chips that consumers appreciate.

These diverse uses of potatoes drive the selection of specific potato varieties based on the desired quality traits for each purpose.

Nutrients’ Role in Potato Production

Nutrients play a key role in potato crop yield and quality, whether the potatoes are destined for fresh consumption, processing, or starch production. Optimal nutrient supply plays an important role in potato crop storage and susceptibility to various diseases. The relatively limited root zone, along with high production rates and densities, highlights the need for an optimal fertilization program.

Nitrogen

Nitrogen plays a crucial role in potato production, impacting both yield and quality. Correct application of nitrogen fertilizer can significantly increase potato yield, however, the optimal response to N fertilizer varies by cultivar (potato variety) and soil type. Excessive nitrogen during later growth stages can lead to excessive vine growth on account of tuber development and can prevent the crop from reaching maturity. Excess nitrogen may reduce starch content and increase acrylamide levels, affecting the quality of processing potatoes. In summary, proper nitrogen management is essential for high tuber yield, good quality, and sustainable potato production.

Phosphorus

Phosphorus is crucial for early root and shoot development. During tuber initiation, an adequate supply of phosphorus ensures the formation of the optimum number of tubers. Phosphorus is essential for the development of healthy and productive potato plants. High phosphorus levels are necessary due to the potato plant’s shallow roots, low root density, minimal root hairs, and high P demand in the shoots. However, excessive phosphorus can lead to imbalances and affect overall crop health.

Potassium

Potassium is crucial in potato production, impacting yield, quality, and resistance to biotic and abiotic stress. Potassium plays a key role in nutrient and carbohydrate transport and movement in the plant. It facilitates the movement of carbohydrates from leaves to tubers, ensuring energy supply for growth and development. Adequate potassium contributes to a robust root system and enhances the plant’s ability to resist disease, insect attack, and environmental stress. Adequate potassium and nitrogen fertilization increases yields and limits the accumulation of acrylamide in the tubers.

Magnesium

Magnesium has an essential function in potato plant reactions, including chlorophyll formation, photosynthesis, protein synthesis, and enzyme reactions. Its adequate supply increases yield and starch content and helps to reduce susceptibility to soft rot disease during storage.

Sulfur

Sulfur is essential for optimizing amino acid and protein production and nitrogen use efficiency. Sulfur helps reduce common and powdery scab. It improves skin appearance, boosts disease tolerance, and minimizes internal rust spot.

Calcium

Calcium is a key component of cell walls, ensuring the stability and strength of the tubers. It influences nitrogen uptake, chlorophyll production, and tuber development. Calcium content in the peel affects potato skin appearance, disease tolerance, and minimizes internal rust spot and soft rot during storage. Calcium also reduces skin diseases including black scurf and powdery scab.

+ = improving
– = decreasing
+/- = different results (depending on the rate of nutrient applied)
Source: IPI bulletin #8. Fertilizing for high yield | POTATO.

Potato Nutrient Requirements and Fertilization

Potato has a high demand for nutrients and has a particularly high requirement for potassium – the tubers remove 1.5 times as much potassium as nitrogen and 3 or 4 times the amount of phosphate.

Fertilizer requirements are relatively high, and for an irrigated crop they are 100 to 300 kg/ha N, 50 to 90 kg/ha P₂O₅ for fresh and processed potatoes and 120-150 kg/ha P₂O₅ for seed potatoes, and 250 to 350 kg/ha K₂O.

Typical nutrient removal rates of potato.
Presented under license from AGMATIX data repository.

Development of nutrient uptake by potato crop
Source: IPI bulletin #8. Fertilizing for high yield | POTATO

Potato Deficiency Symptoms

Nitrogen deficiency

• The foliage initially develops pale green coloration of leaf margins and tips
• Eventually turns pale yellow
• Reduced growth
• Premature leaf-fall

Phosphorus deficiency

• Growth is retarded, particularly in the early stages In severe cases, the lower leaves turn purple
• Leafets do not develop normally

Potassium deficiency

• Internodes shortened
• Leaves bluish-green in color
• Older leaves turn yellow with brown margins and apices
• Necrotic patches appear

Magnesium deficiency

• Lower Ieaves more lightly colored than normal
• Appears first on the tips and margins of leaflets and then extends between the veins
• In severe cases, necrotic patches between the veins

Sulfur deficiency

• Sulfur deficiency symptoms in potatoes are like those of nitrogen deficiency
• Sulfur deficiency symptoms usually appear on young leaves first

Source: IPI Crop Bulletin #8 and others.

Potassium deficiency in potato leaves. Courtesy IPI (K Gallery).

For more pictures see also INRAE’s portal e-phytia (Potato – Printed Guide (inra.fr)

Fertilizer Products for Potato Production

Literature

1. FAO Land & Water: Potato, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (fao.org)
2. IPI Crop Bulletin 8: Fertilizing for High Yield | Potato (ipipotash.org)
3. Potato Facts & Figures, International Potato Center (cipotato.org)
4. The Importance of Nutrient Management for Potato Production Part I: Plant Nutrition and Yield. Koch et al., 2020. Potato Research 63:97–119.
5. The Potato of the Future: Opportunities and Challenges in Sustainable Agri-food Systems. Devaux et al., 2021. Potato Research 64:681–720. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11540-021-09501-4
6. Potato – Printed Guide (inra.fr)

Field Experiments, Agronomic Reports, and Related Literature

1. Balanced Crop Nutrition Improves Potato Tuber Storage
2. Controlled Release Fertilizers – Meeting the Needs of the Crops
3. Effects of Polyhalite Fertilization on Skin Quality of Potato Tuber. Keren-Keiserman et al., 2019. Plant Sci., Volume 10 – 2019. doi.org/10.3389/fpls.2019.01379
4. Fertilizing Potatoes with Polysulphate
5. Growing Potatoes – Fertilizers for Potatoes
6. Potassium Nutrition of the Potato Crop – The Indian Scenario. Trehan et al., 2009. (ipipotash.org)
7. Potassium Positively Affects Skin Characteristics of Sweet Potato Storage Roots. Klipcan et al., 2020. doi.org/10.3390/agronomy10091385
8. Potential of Polyhalite Fertilizers to Enhance Potato Yield and Quality in the United Kingdom. Garnett, S.S., 2021. (ipipotash.org)