Growing food potatoes from small fraction minitubers obtained under conditions of water-air culture

¹ Russian Potato Research Center, Moscow Region, Russian Federation
² Russian State Agrarian University – Moscow Timiryazev Agricultural Academy, Moscow, Russian Federation

^* Corresponding author: alexman80@list.ru

Abstract

Currently, due to the shortage of their own seed material Russian producers of original seed potatoes are interested in using highly efficient cultural practices based on the use of aerohydroponic cultivation technologies. The results of studies conducted in the period of 2019-2021 in order to determine the effectiveness of growing food potatoes from mini-tubers obtained using aerohydroponic systems with a compound nutrient scheme are presented in the work. The field test was launched according to the available procedures on the territory of the Korenevo (Kraskovo) experimental station in the Moscow region on sod-podzolic medium-cultivated, granulometric composition sandy loam soil. Sprouted small fraction mini-tubers of 10-15 mm in size and 3-5 g in weight of the following varieties were planted: Gulliver (early ripening (ER)), Amethyst and Grand (medium early ripening (MER)), Sineglazka and Fritella (midseason variety (MSV)). The research years – 2019, 2020 and 2021 – were characterized, respectively, as humid, very humid and slightly arid. The average yield for all varieties was 16.4 t/ha, including commercial tubers in size – 96.5-98.6%, or 38-89% of the possible potential yield, depending on the variety. The starch content in tubers was within the range of potentially possible values, namely, in Grand (16.5-18.3%), in Sineglazka (16.0- 19.8%) and in Fritella (16.3-17.6%). The nitrate content in potato tubers of all varieties did not exceed MPC – 250 mg/kg. Tubers of all varieties turned out to be quite tasty – 5.5-8.0 points, Gulliver tubers (7.5 points) being found the most delicious, despite the low starch content. Potatoes were sold at a price of 17 rubles/ kg, the income from potato cultivation amounted to 17.2-79.9 thousand rubles/ ha, and profitability was 15.5- 24.5%. The economic feasibility of producing food potatoes grown in the field from mini-tubers of small fractions obtained using aerohydroponic devices with a compound nutrition system has been shown.