CU LTIVATION AND TECHNOLOGY Potato delivery to hospitals thanks to fertile soil stage, the organic material has been converted and sinks deeper than 7 centimetres. Plants are then able to absorb the necessary minerals.’ Less haulm development Laboratory tests have also shown that the dry-matter distribution in the tubers of the W16 is spread very evenly. You can also see the evenlyspread structure when you cut the tubers. and animal need. ‘In order to reach that point, it’s also important that the organic matter or green manure decomposes in the right way. This occurs in three stages. In the first stage, it’s important that the organic matter is given sufficient time to decompose on the ground. The decomposed remains and minerals then slowly sink 5 to 7 cm deep into the soil. Then follows the second stage, the conversion by soil life. In the third N-XT VISION STEP-BY-STEP In order to summarise the vision N-xt Fertilizers has for potato growers, Van Gurp briefly lists the necessary steps. ‘We’ll start with the soil, where we check the calcium, magnesium and potassium contents. This is done through a soil analysis based on the KinseyAlbrecht method. If a shortage of calcium is diagnosed, regardless of whether it’s absorbable or available in the soil, for potatoes, you could use a product such as N-xt Calcium. We then focus on the bioWhen is the soil chemically balanced? • Aiming naar for an accopation of 60‐70% Calcium, 10‐20% Magnesium en 2‐5% Potassium • pH‐water is then always 6,3 (= 10% Hydrogen) • With these ratio’s in the soil the elements are best absorbed and soil life will develop best. • Sufficient micro‐element. logy and the active soil life by looking at what there is in terms of fungi, nematodes, worms and bacteria. A third step is to provide a maximum of organic matter. The grower can achieve this by growing green manure crops, providing animal manure, optimising crop rotation and stimulating humus formation. For the latter N-xt has a product such as N-xt FertiSoil which, among other things, stimulates the decomposition of organic matter. Step four is adjusting the trace eleExperiences N-xt Calcium - Internal dry matter determination - Dry matter % measured in the length of the tuber If a potato plant develops in the best possible way it looks quite different from what you’re used to with regular NPK fertiliser. ‘I had to get used to that in the beginning. I was used to a dark green crop with full foliage and thick stems. If you apply less nitrogen, however, and that happens, for example, with a fertiliser like N-xt N + P with trace elements, the haulm development is not so abundant and the leaves don’t have nearly such a deep green colour. Is this going to be okay, I thought that first year? Later, after weighing, you find out that that fear was completely unfounded. The kilogram yields per hectare were exactly the same as the traditionally-fertilised plot sections. But the big difference was that, with N-xt fertiliser, you got more tubers in the mostprofitable seed potato sizes. However, that wasn’t the only advantage that soil fertilisation had. In those days, I sold seed of the Ramos variety to a growers’ association of Farm Frites. They bought the planting stock for their French-fry crops from about three to four seed potato growers. This growers’ association also worked together with crop advisory company TTW from Oude Tonge. Through this company, the growers’ 42 Potato World 2017 • number 2 Pagina 41
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