Potato delivery to hospitals thanks to fertile soil CU LTIVATION AND TECHNOLOGY association collected data, among other things, about seed potatoes. It transpired that our Ramos always developed one stem more per plant and well over 1.2 tubers extra per stem. They told me at a TTW meeting that, out of the 7 years that they’d been growing the Ramos variety, 6 years had produced significantly more chip potatoes than their fellow seed potato growers. I was surprised myself by these results. They asked me that night how it was that my seed potatoes were so much more vital. I couldn’t really give an answer that was based on any evidence; the only explanation I could give was the different way of fertilising. I wasn’t happy with that answer and that’s why I decided to carry out my own test the next year. For that purpose, I had my own Ramos seed grown by a fellow seed potato grower in comparable soil who still used the traditional fertilisation method. I had the harvests tested for internal substances and compared his results to that of my seed grown in N-xt fertilised soil. It transpired that my seed potatoes contained 30 percent more minerals than those grown with traditionally-fertilised seed.’ The exchange of information with the Farm Frites growers also included the cost-benefit analysis. For me, as a seed potato grower, it cost me more fertiliser to get that better quality. So I made the growers’ group an offer, suppose you get 10 percent more potatoes from my seed, would it be too much to ask for 2 percent more for my seed potatoes? The growers’ group immediately agreed to this proposal, but the trading company that sold my potatoes didn’t want to pay more. That same year, I happened to talk with a chef of a big hospital. We got talking about potatoes and I told him my story about the internal substances. I also explained that this is about extra vitamins, antioxidants, antiallergens and substances that stimulate the bowel flora. He was very interested and asked if I could provide the figures and, of course, if I could supply some potatoes. And that’s how it came about that I now mainly grow table potatoes for hospitals.’ For this purpose, Van Woerkom has even developed his own variety, which hasn’t got a name yet, but has been registered as W16. He now only grows seed from that variety. It’s a cross between the Red Star x Laura varieties. It’s a red-skinned potato with deep yellow flesh. Laboratory tests have also shown that the dry-matter division in the tubers is spread very evenly. You can also see the evenly-spread structure when you cut the tubers. Furthermore, the W16 is slightly floury after boiling, has a creamy and even a somewhat salty taste. This last quality is surprising as, by using N-xt fertiliser for the last 16 years, Van Woerkom hasn’t added any salts to his crops. The grower attributes the salty taste to the many extra minerals his spuds contain. The cultivation and marketing of the W16 is now so successful that he’s already growing 16 hectares of the variety. In addition, in order to meet the growing demand, he grows another 6 hectments. The necessary steps are also mentioned in the soil analysis of the Kinsey-Albrecht report. Of course, you should adjust according to the need of a particular crop. Finally, in step five, you adjust nitrogen, phosphate, potassium, magnesium and sulphur on the basis of your crop requirements. I’d like to emphasise again that the last two steps should always follow the first three. The fact that our strategy not only leads to healthier soil and potatoes, but also to better finanPractice demo 2014 Seedpotatoes Fontane • Standaard (obj. 1) – APP 120 ltr/ha | NTS 370 ltr/ha • Standard met N‐xt FertiPhos (obj. 2) 134 N | 50 P – FertiPhos 190 ltr/ha | NTS 370 ltr/ha • N‐xt Fertilizers (obj. 3) – N‐xt Soil (12‐12 B S Zn) 400 ltr/ha – N‐xt Calcium (N9 Ca B) 250 ltr/ha – N‐xt Leaf (N18 Ca Mg Mn) 160 ltr/ha • N‐xt FertiPhos with N‐xt Ca + Leaf (obj. 4) 80 N | 30 P – FertiPhos 115 ltr/ha (on tuber) – N‐xt Calcium (N9 Ca B) 300 ltr/ha – N‐xt Leaf (N18 Ca Mg Mn) 160 ltr/ha 123 N | 60 P Object 3) 28/55: 55+: Object 4) 28/55: 55+: 137 N | 50 P Object 1) 28/55: 55+: Object 2) 28/55: 55+: cial results, is shown by the many trials and practical demonstrations that have been carried out up to now.’ As an example, Van Gurp shows the results of the years 2013 and 2014. Not only is the financial return higher, but the quality is also better. For example, scab infections in crops that were given N-xt Calcium were 5 percent lower than on conventionally-fertilised crops. Practice demo conclusion financial incl. fertilizers 37.035 kg x 0,30 = 14.169 kg x 0,05 = 34.411 kg x 0,30 = 21.067 kg x 0,05 = 38.385 kg x 0,30 = 17.468 kg x 0,05 = 42.958 kg x 0,30 = 14.394 kg x 0,05 = € 11.110,55 € 708,47 € 10.323,37 € 1.053,33 € 11.515,39 € 873,40 € 12.887,34 € 719,71 TOTAL: € 11.819,02 ‐ € 185,75 = € 11.633,TOTAL: € 11.376,70 ‐ € 257,35 = € 11.119,TOTAL: € 12.388,79 ‐ € 563,78 = € 11.825,TOTAL: € 13.607,06 ‐ € 397,74 = € 13.209,Results of research from 2012 with N‐xt Calcium in several varieties concluded that 5% less scabinfection on tubers is possible. Because this year there were a few visual differences we calcutlate with 0% scab/ quality drop for the objects 1 and 2. The results in 28/55 we count with € 0,30/kg and the 55+ with € 0,05/kg Potato World 2017 • number 2 43 Pagina 42
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