Black potatoes, a new variety of colored potato, are gaining popularity due to their unique color, nutritional value, and health benefits. With the growing interest in agriculture and tourism, especially in parks, there's an increasing demand for specialty crops like black potatoes. These potatoes are not only delicious, with a delicate and fragrant texture, but they also offer health advantages such as cancer prevention and beauty enhancement. Currently, the cultivation area of black potatoes is still limited, and their price ranges from 6 to 8 yuan per kilogram, which is 6 to 8 times higher than that of regular potatoes.
**Cultivation Tips**
1. **Seed Preparation and Cutting**: About 20 to 30 days before planting, select high-quality seed potatoes and place them in a 20°C environment. Keep them moist by spraying water and cover them with straw or grass. When the sprouts grow to the size of soybeans, move the seed potatoes to a warm and sunny location to encourage strong, green growth. One to two days before sowing, cut the seed potatoes into pieces, each weighing around 25 grams. For small pieces, make vertical cuts so that each piece has a top bud. For larger tubers, cut from the bottom, remove weak shoots, and arrange the buds properly. Cut diagonally from the top and divide the top into two parts. Always disinfect your knife with 75% alcohol before cutting to prevent disease.
2. **Field Preparation**: Black potatoes have a short growing cycle and require rich soil. Apply 3 to 5 cubic meters of organic fertilizer per acre, along with 20 kg of diammonium phosphate, 20 kg of urea, and 10 kg of potassium sulfate. The soil should be well-tilled. Avoid over-crowding; space plants 70 cm apart, with ditches 5 cm deep. Before planting, add phoxim granules to the ditch to control underground pests like wireworms. Plant seedlings 25 to 30 cm apart, aiming for about 3,500 plants per acre. After planting, press the ridges firmly and apply mulch film, along with a herbicide to control weeds.
3. **Field Management**: As soon as the seedlings emerge, remove any weak ones and cover them with a layer of wet soil to promote healthy growth. Once the seedlings are established, foliar sprays can be used to stimulate early growth. During flowering, remove the buds to encourage the development of larger tubers. Spraying the foliage during this time can further improve yield. The main diseases affecting black potatoes include late blight, while aphids and ladybugs are common pests. To manage late blight, use a solution of 64% antivirus at 600 times dilution mixed with a new high-fat film. For aphids and ladybugs, spray 18% Lethburn at 1000 times dilution combined with the same high-fat film.
4. **Harvesting**: Harvest black potatoes according to market demand, ensuring minimal mechanical damage during the process to maintain product quality. Proper timing and careful handling are crucial to preserving the appearance and value of the crop.
(China Plant Protection Network: Wei Linfei)
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