29.6.2021
In addition to grains, potatoes are one of the most important arable crops in Germany. The golden tuber is grown here on around 270,000 ha. However, growing crops is much more demanding than growing grains, for example — ISARIA now also supports farmers when it comes to growing potatoes. The potato expert system is now available in the ISARIA CONNECT data management system.
ISARIA offers farmers potatoes in the data management system with the expert system ISARIA CONNECT Now also support when it comes to growing potatoes. When using the potato expert system, the farmer divides the total amount of fertiliser into the following two amounts:
It is best to apply the 2nd dose on a site-specific basis using the ISARIA system. On the one hand, it is possible to use plant sensors ISARIA PRO Active or ISARIA PRO Compact measure N uptake during the crossing and fertilize at the same time during this crossing based on single-point mode (online). However, this must happen before flowering, as the flowers would interfere with the sensor measurement. The second solution from ISARIA is the new potato expert system in ISARIA CONNECT. After a test run with the ISARIA plant sensor, an application map is created. The system is particularly recommended for fertilizing starch and processed potatoes. In contrast to single-point mode, the expert system does not work with the average nitrogen uptake index of a blow and the slope dependent on it, but with an algorithm stored in the system. The user only has to enter the date of planting, the yield target and the intended use of the potatoes (edible or starch potatoes). It is important that the income target is not just a rough estimate. Accurate information increases the success of the system. The system then calculates the nitrogen uptake. Based on these calculations, a fertiliser value is flexibly emitted for each area that exactly meets the plant's requirements. The system is also recommended for a second or third site-specific gift.
Die Herb and tuber blight (Phytophthora infestans) is the most serious disease in potato cultivation. The fungus, which originally comes from Mexico and has considerable harmful potential, causes enormous crop losses in local potato stocks if it is not suppressed in a controlled manner. Preventive measures are also possible with the ISARIA plant sensor. With the single-point mode, the biomass of the herb is measured during the application of the fungicide. This is a reliable indicator of infestation, as higher biomass is always exposed to increased disease pressure due to poor ventilation and dehydration of the plant population. Especially in humid and warm weather, regular fungicide measures, even weekly, are required to combat phytophtora in order to successfully prevent an infestation above the damage limit — efficient use of approved agents is all the more important. This saves costs and reduces environmental impact. The use of new putrefactants with the ISARIA plant sensor is flexible. These agents are contact fungicides which act via the leaf and no longer via the sap flow in the plant. In order to achieve as much wetting as possible, a large amount of water is required. It is easy to adjust the slope to requirements in single-point mode (up to 40% slope at 450 l).
