Sweet potato quality and high yield cultivation practices

Sweet potato quality and high yield cultivation practices

Sweet potato cultivation requires careful planning and attention to detail. First, selecting the right variety is crucial for high yield and quality. Different varieties are suited for various purposes—starch production, fresh consumption, processing, or as vegetables. In our province, suitable starch varieties include Xushu 18, Lushu 7, and Jishu 15. For fresh use and processing, Beijing 553, Lushu 8, Jishu 18, and the purple sweet potato Tainong 71 are popular choices. Vegetable-type sweet potatoes like Fushu 7-6 are also widely grown. Second, cultivating strong seedlings is essential for a successful harvest. Seedlings should be healthy, vigorous, and free from disease. The planting season in our region usually starts in late April, so nursery preparation begins around mid-March. Disease-free tubers, preferably detoxified, are soaked in carbendazim solution before being planted in hotbeds or under double-layered plastic. Strong seedlings should have at least 100 plants weighing over 500 grams, with full, large leaves, thick stems, and no signs of pests or damage. These seedlings can produce up to 10% more yield than weaker ones. For summer planting, it's important to establish disease-free nurseries. Using vine tip cuttings is ideal, as they tend to produce higher yields compared to creeping vines. Proper spacing and timing are also critical. Spring planting should occur before May 1st, as delaying it by just one day can reduce yield by about 1%. Summer planting should be done early, between late June and mid-July, as each day of delay reduces yield by approximately 2%. Soil and fertilizer management play a key role in achieving high yields. Sweet potatoes thrive in loose, well-drained sandy loam soil with good fertility. For fresh market varieties, it’s best to use land free from previous sweet potato diseases. Organic fertilizer should be the main source, supplemented with chemical fertilizers. A typical application includes 3–5 cubic meters of organic manure per acre, along with 20 kg of diammonium phosphate and 20–25 kg of potassium sulfate. Ridge planting is recommended, with ridges spaced 70–80 cm apart and 20–30 cm high. Field management involves regular monitoring, weeding, and pest control. Early on, check for weak or diseased seedlings and replace them if necessary. During the rainy season, focus on controlling larvae and leaf-eating pests. If the field becomes too dry, irrigation is needed. Spraying paclobutrazol at a concentration of 200 mg/kg can help control excessive vine growth in fertile conditions. Harvesting should be timely, typically starting in mid-October. Delaying harvest after October leads to reduced starch content and lower drying rates. Seed or fresh sweet potatoes should be harvested on sunny days, dried in the field, and stored the same afternoon. Handling should be gentle to avoid bruising, and packaging in plastic containers helps prevent damage. Proper storage is equally important. Before storing, clean and disinfect the storage pits using sulfur burning or carbendazim spray. Remove any damaged or diseased tubers, and fill the pit to two-thirds capacity. Maintain a temperature of 10–15°C and humidity of 85–90% for optimal storage conditions. Finally, this method is especially suitable for sweet potato production in Shandong Province, where the climate and soil conditions are favorable for high-quality yields. By following these practices, farmers can maximize both productivity and profitability.

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