Low Input Potato Production (2001) - 3 pages
Rising input costs coupled with increasing market demand for “safer” products has lead many
growers to consider “organic” or other reduced input production systems. This trial evaluated
the yield potential of potatoes grown without synthetic fertilizers or pesticides relative to
standard high input production.
The trial was conducted on the University of Saskatchewan Potato Research plots. The trial area
was part of a conventional cropping program and as such did not meet established standards for“organic” production. The previous barley crop had been sprayed to control weeds. The field
was disked twice prior to planting. Heavy applications of manure in previous seasons had raised
the fertility levels to close to the optimum for potatoes (110 #/a N, > 120 #/a P2O5 and > 1000
#/a K2O). No supplemental fertility was added to the “low input” regime, while 20 #/a of N,
P2O5, and K2O were applied close to the seed in the standard regime. The trial was planted in
mid-May utilizing Elite 3 seed of Norland and Russet Norkotah. As whole seed was used, no
seed treatments were applied in either regime. The seed was planted at 23 cm in-row spacings
with 1 m between rows. Each plot consisted of two 20 m long rows of each cultivar.
