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Potato Farming: Expert Reveals Secret Tips to Prepare Fields for High Yield
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News18•08-10-2026, 18:15
Potato Farming: Expert Reveals Secret Tips to Prepare Fields for High Yield
- •Preparations for potato cultivation in the Rabi season have begun as farmers harvest Kharif crops like maize and moong.
- •Agricultural expert Prof. Ashok Kumar Singh recommends deep first ploughing up to one foot since potato tubers develop underground.
- •Running a harrow after deep ploughing helps cut weeds and previous crop residues into small pieces.
- •Applying Trichoderma during the first ploughing reduces soil-borne diseases, fungi, and tuber rotting.
- •Using farmyard manure or compost during the initial ploughing and completing the process takes about 15 days.
Key Questions Answered
According to agricultural expert Prof. Ashok Kumar Singh, farmers should start with a deep first ploughing so that the topsoil up to one foot is light and loose. Following this, a harrow should be run to cut weeds and crop residues, and the field is left for a week to allow residues to decompose before using a cultivator and rotavator.
Trichoderma should be used during the first ploughing of the field to help reduce the impact of certain soil-borne diseases and fungi. This practice also minimizes risks like the rotting and greening of the potato tubers.
Farmyard manure, compost, or green leaf manure should be thoroughly spread across the field during the initial deep ploughing to support successful potato cultivation.
