How to treat potatoes before planting?

Growth stimulants

By penetrating the secrets of the cell, scientists have discovered that plants can literally be controlled from within. It is now known that specialized hormones—brassinosteroids—are responsible for the intensity of potato growth, flowering, and tuber formation. They ensure the plant's resistance to stress in adverse conditions: temperature fluctuations, high humidity, short-term droughts, diseases, and pests.

The effects of these phytohormones are so powerful compared to their negligible amounts that scientists have created synthetic analogues. These synthetic phytohormones form the basis of most growth stimulants available today. The high effectiveness of these products is based on the fact that the hormones, when penetrating the plant, increase its own reserve capacity, awakening dormant cells, stimulating their growth and development.

Let's look at several popular, proven preparations that can increase potato yields.

"Epin" is a universal anti-stress adaptogen. Its active ingredient is epibrassinolide, an artificial phytohormone. Pre-sowing treatment of potatoes with this product promotes uniform germination, vigorous root and aerial growth, additional tuber formation, and increased frost resistance (it tolerates frosts down to -5°C without loss of yield). "Epin" is classified as Group IV (low hazard) and is safe for animals, bees, and fish (if wastewater enters water bodies). A single treatment will increase potato yield by 10-15% and accelerate tuber ripening. One day before planting, dilute one ampoule of "Epin" in 5 liters of boiled water (it loses its properties in an alkaline environment) and spray the seed. The prepared solution has a shelf life of no more than 48 hours. One liter is sufficient for treating 50 kg of potatoes.

The disadvantage of this drug is the rapid breakdown of the active substance under the influence of sunlight, so the tubers cannot be treated during the daytime.

Poteytin is a product containing synthetic phytohormones in combination with 2,6-dimethylpyridine-1-oxide, succinic acid, and biogenic microelements. It is the most popular stimulant among potato growers. Its use promotes seedling emergence 5-6 days earlier, and the rapid development of green mass leads to rapid coarsening of the leaves. As a result, plants are less susceptible to damage from the Colorado potato beetle.

The incidence of late blight is reduced. Potato yields increase by an average of 16-24%. A solution of one ampoule in 750 ml of water is sufficient to treat 60 tubers before planting. It's worth noting that Poteytin increases the tuber weight and starch and vitamin content.

Bioglobin is a next-generation drug synthesized from mammalian cells. Within 24 hours, the drug doubles the rate of cell division. As a result, the root system grows four times faster, and the yield doubles.

Two teaspoons of the suspension are diluted in 10 liters of water, and the tubers are soaked in this solution for 30 minutes. This procedure is performed 30 days before planting. Each bottle contains 50 ml of suspension and is designed for repeated use throughout the potato growing season.

Since most of our country is located in a high-risk agricultural zone, increasing potato stress resistance is the key to a good harvest.

Video "Processing"

This video will show you how to properly treat potatoes before planting.

Disease prevention

Late blight, early blight, wilt, fusarium and bacterial wilt, brown and ring rot, rhizoctonia, silver and common scab, phoma, and canker—this is far from a complete list of diseases that affect potatoes. Yield losses vary depending on the year, but average 23%. Diseases are transmitted through planting material and persist in the soil for a long time. Treatment is lengthy and unable to maintain high yields. Therefore, preventative measures are paramount. You can save your harvest if you know how and what to treat potatoes with before planting.

Quadris is a systemic fungicide that can prevent the development of rhizoctonia, alternaria, downy mildew, late blight, silver scab and other fungal diseases.

"Maxim" is a contact fungicide. It treats tubers against phoma, fusarium, soft rot, scab, rhizoctonia, blackleg, and anthracnose.

Fitosporin is a product containing a live spore culture of Baccilius subtilis 26D, which suppresses most harmful fungi. It combats bacterial canker, blackleg, bacterial wilt, late blight, and rot.

Nutrient spraying

Pre-sowing spraying of tubers with fertilizers will increase yield, enhance growth and quality, as potatoes consume a large amount of nutrients during growth.

Nitrophoska contains phosphorus, nitrogen, and potassium—essential elements for potatoes. Application will improve the fruit's chemical composition, immunity, and yield. Apply three times, 10 days apart. Spray: 1 teaspoon of fertilizer per 3 liters of water.

Mikom-Kartofel is a micronutrient fertilizer designed for soaking potato tubers before planting. It increases yield while improving quality in various soil types.

Pest control

Large-scale military action against a small, but numerous and diverse enemy can be avoided if potatoes are treated with insecticides before planting.

"Prestige" is a dual-action product that helps combat not only wireworms and Colorado potato beetles, but also fungal diseases. It is not used for growing early varieties, as it is lost from the plant after 60-70 days.

"Commander" is a systemic insecticide with contact and intestinal action against the Colorado potato beetle, potato moth, wireworms and other soil pests.

"Matador Grand" is a systemic insectofungicide, highly effective against the Colorado potato beetle and its larvae, wireworms, false wireworms, cockchafer larvae, moths, as well as against late blight, alternaria, rhizoctonia, macrosporiosis, and downy mildew.

What are the benefits of pre-planting treatment?

Growing bins full of healthy, delicious potatoes is the dream of every potato grower. Large areas are devoted to this crop, making it difficult to follow crop rotation principles. Furthermore, our climate isn't ideal for this crop. And the planting material used is a whole other topic.

Properly conducted comprehensive potato treatment before planting will mitigate these and many other unfavorable factors. And the harvest will exceed all expectations.

Video "Growth Stimulators"

This video will show you how growth stimulants work.