Potato nutrient requirements
Potato nutrient requirements vary depending on the crop growth stage. Find out which nutrients are most important at different growth stages.
Planting
Nitrogen and Potassium - early growth and dry matter
Phosphate - more tubers, growth and dry matter
Magnesium - for plant development
Zinc and Manganese - Powdery and Common Scab control
Sulphur - Common and Powdery Scab and tuber numbers
Before tuber initiation (Hook stage)
Phosphate - more tubers, stronger growth
Tuber initiation
Phosphate and Magnesium - bigger tubers
Zinc and Manganese – skin finish
Calcium (+/- Boron) – good skin quality, internal rust spot reduction, stress tolerance – drought/heat
Flowering and bulking
Nitrogen, Phosphate and Magnesium - maintain tuber growth
Calcium – improves skin finish and reduces disease impact
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Potato nutritional summary
A correct balance between macronutrients and micronutrients is essential to obtain the best results possible from potato crops. A deficiency of any single nutrient is enough to limit crop yield.
Potato agronomic principles
When growing potatoes the aim of the grower is to produce a high-yielding, quality crop that matches the needs of the intended market.
Potato nutrient requirements
Potato nutrient requirements vary depending on the crop growth stage. Find out which nutrients are most important at different growth stages.
Potato fertiliser application
Correct timing and placement of fertiliser applications to potatoes is important to achieve the highest level of nutrient use efficiency, which also minimises any environmental impact whilst maximising crop productivity.
