Potatoes

Potato profitability is driven by both yield and tuber quality. Tuber size and uniformity, specific gravity, skin quality, and storability can all influence crop value. A successful fertility program must provide adequate nutrition through the growing season while matching nutrient availability with changing crop demand.

Tessenderlo Kerley fertilizers provide plant available nitrogen, potassium, calcium, and sulfur in liquid formulations that can be incorporated into potato fertility programs through pre-plant, in-season, and foliar applications.

Nitrogen Management

Nitrogen plays an important role in canopy development, photosynthesis, and tuber yield. However, both the rate and timing of nitrogen applications are critical in potato production. Insufficient nitrogen can limit canopy growth and reduce yield potential, while excessive nitrogen can delay maturity and promote excessive vegetative growth.

Splitting nitrogen applications can help match nitrogen availability with crop demand while reducing the amount of nitrogen exposed to potential loss at any one time.

Sulfur Nutrition

Sulfur and nitrogen work together to drive potato growth, yield, and quality. Both nutrients are essential for protein synthesis, and adequate sulfur nutrition helps the crop utilize applied nitrogen more efficiently.

Potatoes require sulfur throughout the growing season, making sulfur management an important component of a balanced fertility program. Maintaining adequate sulfur levels supports plant metabolism and helps maximize nitrogen efficiency.

Potassium & Sulfur

Potatoes require more potassium than many other crops because potassium is essential for tuber development and bulking. Potassium also plays a key role in water regulation, photosynthesis, and the movement of carbohydrates from leaves to tubers. Adequate potassium nutrition supports tuber bulking, yield, and quality while helping maintain efficient water use and overall plant performance throughout the growing season.

Calcium & Soil Performance

Calcium plays an important role in potato growth and tuber development by supporting strong cell walls, cell membrane stability, and overall tissue integrity. Because calcium has limited mobility within the plant, developing tubers rely on a consistent supply of available calcium from the soil surrounding tubers and stolon roots. If calcium is lacking during critical growth stages, it can affect potato development and reduce tuber quality.

Maintaining adequate calcium availability during tuber development can support tuber quality, internal quality, and storability. A season-long calcium strategy making sure the nutrient is available during critical growth stages will help growers produce potatoes that are better equipped to maintain quality from harvest through storage.

Soilborne Pest & Disease Management

Potatoes face significant challenges below the soil surface long before plants emerge. Soil-borne diseases, nematodes, insects, and weeds can all impact stand establishment, root development, and ultimately yield potential. In addition, seed piece cuts required for propagation create natural entry points for pathogens, making early-season protection especially important.

Sectagon®-42 (metam sodium)  or Sectagon®-K54 (metam potassium) helps prepare potato fields by providing broad-spectrum soil treatment prior to planting. Its activity targets a wide range of soil-borne pests, weeds, and pathogens, helping create a cleaner growing environment for crop establishment and development.