Scientists develop customized fertilizer, micronutrients for Chinese potato

The Thiruvananthapuram-based Central Tuber Crops Research Institute that introduced high-yielding Chinese potato and elephant foot yam to the farmers of Tirunelveli and Tenkasi districts in last Febru

The Thiruvananthapuram-based Central Tuber Crops Research Institute that introduced high-yielding Chinese potato and elephant foot yam to the farmers of Tirunelveli and Tenkasi districts in last February, has developed tailor-made fertilizer and micronutrient formulations for Chinese potato, a tasty much sought-after tuber variety in the southern districts.

The CTCRI, which has so far released 68 improved varieties and other technologies of tuber crops for enhancing productivity and profitability in major tuber crops being cultivated across the country, introduced high-yielding ‘Sree Dhara’ Chinese potato and Sree Padma and Gajendra varieties of elephant foot yam to the farmers of Tirunelveli and Tenkasi districts in last February. While the farmers can get yield of up to 25 tonnes of Chinese potato a hectare, the yield of Sree Padma and Gajendra will be 40 tonnes a hectare.

Cultivation of Chinese potato is concentrated in Tirunelveli and Tenkasi districts and being a photosensitive crop, it is planted during October - November and harvested during January-March. These varieties fetch remunerative price in the market because of its aroma, flavour and desirable shape of the tubers. Moreover, these have got good ‘keeping quality’ coupled with pest and disease resistance.