Aeroponic Potato Farming Information Guide
If you are fond of technology in agriculture and want to know new things in agriculture then this article is for you. In this article, you will learn the basic information about the aeroponic method and try to see how much potato seed cultivation can be achieved with this method.
Aeroponic is a method in which plants can be grown in a 100 percent humid environment without soil. In this method, nutrient solution is sprayed on the roots of plants in closed containers and small seed tubers can be harvested 10-15 times at regular intervals.
Read more: Farming of vegetables in Controlled Environment.
In fact, in aeroponics, plants are grown in an environment of fog and air. In this technique, there is no need of water, soil and sunlight to grow plants. In aeroponics technique, plants are hung in large boxes and nutrients and water are added to each box for plant growth. Due to which moisture remains in the roots of the plant and after some time the production of crop starts.
The main advantage of this method is that the size of their product remains the same. We can also ensure the size of potato or other crop to be harvested as per requirement. It is also easy to sow them uniformly.
This system is suitable for the production of vegetables whose roots can adapt to optimal conditions such as oxygen and moisture. They can be grown under controlled temperature and humidity conditions. Through aeroponics technology, farmers can get crops full of nutrients. This technique saves water as well as nutrients in the production of crops.
The availability of good quality potato seed in our country has always been less than the requirement. Potato requires 1 seed tuber per hectare. This method is based on the investigation and eradication of viruses commonly found in potato tubers and rodent multiplication of four generations of disease free tubers.
Read more: Potato Planting Care & Harvesting
This traditional method of producing seed potatoes is very reliable. It takes seven to eight years for the seeds produced by this method to reach the farmers. During this period, there is a possibility of getting many types of diseases in the seed. Keeping this in mind, seed potatoes are produced through tissue cultured plants.
In this method, small plants produced from tissue culture techniques are planted in the net house. Due to this the plants are saved from Champa (Mahu) and other disease spreading insects. By this method, four to seven small tubers are available per plant, whose weight can be from 2 to 40 grams.
Benefits of the Aeroponic Method
In aeroponic method, 40-50 small tubers are found per plant. These are 10-12 times more in number than conventional potato seed production methods.
It is very important for us to know that in this method the seed tubers are plucked every 4th, 5th day and we can also ensure the size of the potatoes to be plucked as per requirement. It is also easy to sow them uniformly. Plants are grown in air in aeroponics. Because of this, there is no possibility of occurrence of soil borne diseases.
Read More: Basic Tips For The Hydroponic Farming
The special thing is that compared to potato seed tubers obtained from the field, the per plant yield of seed tubers obtained from aeroponic is almost double. In this way the availability of nutrients to the roots of all the plants is sufficient and uniform. Due to the small size of seed potato tubers in this method, it is also convenient to bring and take them from one place to another.
Compared to soil, only 5-10 percent water and 10-15 percent nutrients are used in aeroponic method. Therefore this method can be used for potato seed production even in water deficient areas. It can also be a good savings program.
The cost of production per tuber is relatively five to six times less as compared to other methods. Disadvantages of traditional methods of seed potato production Due to low multiplication rate in these methods, the seed becomes very old by the time it reaches the farmer and there is a possibility of many types of diseases.
In potato tissue culture method, five to eight small potatoes are obtained per plant, therefore, due to the need of more number of tissue culture plants, there is more pressure on the tissue culture laboratory. It is also relatively more expensive.
Read More: Aquaponic Farming Complete Information Guide
In traditional methods, there is a high risk of diseases caused by soil, due to which the quality of the seed is affected. Due to non-uniform size of the tubers produced by these methods, potato planting is difficult and the plants grow unevenly. Potato plants can only take up a limited amount of nutrients from the soil. Due to this only a limited yield can be obtained.
Potato production by aeroponic method:
In this method, tissue culture plants are first hardened. The tissue culture plants are kept for 15-21 days at 28°C for hardening. These plants are then planted on the upper surface of specially made aeroponic boxes. 20 mm on the upper surface of these boxes. Round holes are made at prescribed or required distance and one plant is planted in each hole. In this, the root part remains in the dark in the compartment while the upper part remains outside in the sunlight. The roots are kept protected from sunlight.
Read More: How to do Vertical Farming?
In this method, plant cuttings can also be used instead of micro cutting plants with roots for transplanting. The coaches are completely blackened from inside.
Special care was taken that the light inside should not reach the roots at all. These terraces are raised only at the time of harvesting and inspection of potatoes.
The nutrient mixture is first dissolved in water in a large tank. In this solution, all the 13 essential elements are mixed in a prescribed quantity. Arrangements are made in such a way that after spraying the excess solution on the roots, it collects back and comes again to the same tank continuously. The nutrient mixture is sprayed on the roots for 15-20 seconds at an interval of every five to ten minutes through special automatic spray machines and nozzles not attached to the grow box.
In this method, the nutrient solution keeps on re-circulating. Is. In this, the use of water and nutrients is very less as compared to soil. Like the field, after 25-30 days, 30-40 cm inside the boxes. After the formation of long roots, small potato tubers start forming. Potato tubers of three to four grams are picked for the first time after 45 to 50 days of harvest. The nutrient solution is changed at regular intervals. Plants should have adequate availability of nutrients. Po
The pH value of the solution of nutrients should be constantly monitored and maintained around 6.0. After this every fourth to fifth day potatoes of pre-determined size are plucked. After treating them with fungicide, they are kept in light for 10-15 days so that the tubers turn green. These small tubers are grown in a net house in the next season. Using these, qualitative yield of seed potatoes is obtained in the coming years.
Read more: How Automated Irrigation System Works?
The entire aeroponic system is installed in a house made of polycarbonate sheet. It requires special arrangements for cleanliness. Through aeroponic method production of 10-12 times more number of seed tubers per plant can be achieved as compared to traditional methods.
Therefore, this method makes great sense to produce quality seed potatoes in larger quantity in less time in India. This method can also be used for non-conventional potato seed production and i.e. in deficit. The Central Potato Cultivation Institute, Shimla is constantly moving forward in its efforts to strengthen various areas of crop production from this three-tier crop production angle.
The biggest problem with aeroponic technique is that it requires electricity to sprinkle nutrients on the roots of plants. Apart from this, the cost of the entire setup in the initial stages is much higher than that of traditional farming. Also, you must have technical knowledge to operate it.
But the biggest advantage of this one time investment in this technology is that this setup lasts for a long time. This is one of the most advanced versions of modern farming, along with this it is also beneficial from the point of view of the environment.
Read More: How to do Best Aeroponic Farming?
By this method, 8 to 10 lakh mini tubers i.e. seeds can be prepared by planting 20 thousand potato plants at a time in 1 unit. According to agricultural experts, with this technique, farmers can earn more profit than traditional farming.
According to the Potato Technology Center, potatoes can be produced without water and soil through the aeroponic system. With this method, the production of crops can be obtained about 10 times more than that of traditional farming.
