Enhancing potato growth and yield using complex biostimulants
Trial data
Potatoes are in the top 5 most important agricultural crops and make a significant contribution to global food security.
Average potato yields worldwide are around 19t/Ha but in efficient production systems, with good agronomy, significantly higher yields are achieved. For example, in the UK, commercial potato yields in excess of 50t/Ha are achieved regularly but Haverkort and Struik (2015) reported that with optimal conditions, yields of above 120 Mg/Ha are possible.
How can Maxstim help growers achieve these optimal conditions and boost yields?
Last year our research team conducted a container experiment comparing the treatment on three potato varieties: Maris Piper, Navan and Lady Rosetta. This was replicated 5 times in a controlled environment.
Each replicate was made up of 3 untreated control plants and 3 treated with Maxstim complex biostimulant formulas. Plants were grown outside in fully randomised blocks, receiving full sunlight and watering as required. No fungicides were applied during the experiment.
In treated containers, the soil surface was sprayed at planting, with further applications at 20 days (full emergence of shoots), 40 days and 72 days post-planting. Control plants were sprayed with water on these dates.
Leaf chlorophyll levels, leaf assimilation area and specific leaf areas on the plant were measured, alongside the weight, size and number of tubers at the end of the trial.
Results
Our results showed that the applied Maxstim Agriculture + biostimulant had the following positive effects:
- enhanced photosynthetic ability (with elevated levels of chlorophyll);
- higher specific leaf areas;
- significantly larger leaf assimilation areas;
- significantly increased tuber yield by an average of 33% in tuber weight across the three varieties. The largest increase, observed in Maris Piper, showed a 50% increase in yield;
- a shift in tuber production towards larger and more commercially desirably sized tubers.
Our next article will reveal the impressive results of our study in commercial field crops.
Source:
Haverkort, A.J. and Struik, P.C. (2015). Yield levels of potato crops: recent achievements and future prospects. Field Crops Res. 182, 76-85. doi.org/10.1016/j.fcr.2015.06.002
Interested to hear more about our research and how it can help improve your crop? Please get in touch with a member of our team:
Tim Cannon
Email: tim.cannon@maxstim.com
Mobile: 07884 586191
Phil Kingsmill
Email: phil.kingsmill@maxstim.com
Mobile: 07860 269996
Tony Kelly
Email: tony.kelly@maxstim.com
Mobile: 07974 435417
