Potato and Tuber Crops

Land Preparation

• Land is ploughed or dug properly for loosening soil to a depth of 20-25 cm. Depending on texture of soil and slope of land, mounds or ridges or raised beds are prepared.
• Mounds of 25-30 cm height are prepared in poorly drained soils.
• Ridges of 25-30 cm length are made in sloppy land for a rainfed crop and in leveled for irrigated crop. Ridges are taken across the slope.
• Flat raised beds are taken in level lands having good drainage.
• Since cassava mosaic disease is a serious problem, care should be taken to select disease-free stakes for preparation of sets.
• Raising sets initially in raised beds by planting very close (400 sets / m2), rouging out diseased plants and uprooting disease-free sets for planting at 3 weeks age ensure disease-free seedlings.