How to influence potato dry matter content

Dry matter content is important for both fresh markets and processing.

Tubers with dry matter above 18-20% tend to be more susceptible to bruising and tubers disintegrate more readily when cooked. However, for processing high dry matter content is required to achieve a good fry colour and often 20-25% is specified. Nitrogen, potassium and magnesium can all have influences on tuber dry matter content.

Crop Nutrition and Potato Tuber Dry Matter Content

Nitrogen

Nitrogen is an essential nutrient to fuel canopy growth, however in temperate climates, an excess supply of nitrogen at later stages of growth will keep the crop growing, delaying maturity and may reduce starch and dry matter content, reducing processing potato crop quality.
Nitrogen effect on potato tuber dry matter content

This trial in Norway demonstrate that too much late nitrogen can reduce tuber dry matter.

Potato crackingToo much late growth in cool climate crops can also result in a crop with many 'oversize' potatoes and cause internal cracking.

 

 

 

 

Potassium

The form of potassium has an effect on dry matter. Sulphate of potash - SOP (potassium sulphate) can achieve higher dry matters than muriate of potash - MOP (potassium chloride) and therefore is frequently the preferred form for processing potatoes. This is due to the chloride in the muriate of potash having a negative effect on tuber dry matter content.

Potassium form and tuber dry matter content

This study from Denmark demonstrates the higher dry matter content achieved with SOP (potassium sulphate) rather than MOP (potassium chloride).

Magnesium

Low levels of magnesium will reduce the starch content of tubers and trials have confirmed the positive benefits of magnesium on tuber dry matter and specific gravity.

Magnesium and potato tuber dry matter content

Other crop management practices influencing dry matter content

  • Selecting the right variety to meet dry matter production needs 
  • Selecting quality seed with less risk of disease
  • Avoiding fields, with adverse factors such poor drainage or low water holding capabilities
  • Ensuring blight spray programs are effective
  • Scheduling irrigation to maximize quality characteristics
  • Harvesting early, thereby minimizing late disease ingress or tuber deterioration

Recommended Yara fertilisers for potatoes

YaraVita ZINTRAC 700
YaraVita Zintrac 700 is a highly concentrated flowable zinc
YaraVita MAGFLO 300
YaraVita Hydromag Liquid is a highly concentrated flowable formulation contains almost 3 times more magnesium than epsom salts.
YaraVita BORTRAC 150
YaraVita Bortrac 150 is a concentrated liquid boron formulation manufactured to exacting quality control standards to guarantee consistent analysis, crop safety and product performance.
YaraMila 8-11-20
YaraMila (8-11-20) is a high quality, granular NPK product which also contains sulphur and micronutrients.
YaraMila COMPLEX
YaraMila Complex (12-5-15) is a high quality, prilled NPK product which also contains magnesium and sulphur as well as micronutrients.
YaraBela CAN-27
YaraBela CAN-27 contains 27% total Nitrogen, 50% in the nitrate form
YaraLiva NITRABOR
YaraLiva Nitrabor (15.5% N + 18% Ca + 0.3% B) is a high quality calcium nitrate product, with added boron, for field application.
See all fertilisers products

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