The 2021 crop of Idaho potatoes is starting out in drier-than-usual soils as planting progresses across the state.
While many areas have been dry, rain and cold in other locations has impacted planting, which remains mostly on or ahead of schedule.
Idaho leads the U.S. in potato production, growing some 300,000 acres a year.
“It seems like the weather has been cooperating and planting is moving forward,” Idaho Potato Commission Industry Relations Director Travis Blacker said. “There have been some rain delays, but for many, the weather is pretty much cooperating.”
In the west, Nick Blanksma of Hammett finished planting potatoes, all for processing, on April 21. He started on schedule April 8.
“Field conditions for us were the driest we’ve seen in probably 15 years,” he said. But soil condition, and how potato rows and beds are set up, mean “there is moisture there.”
“It has been very cool as of recently,” Blanksma said April 27. Warm soil helps the potato start to grow actively without physiologically stressing the plant cycle.
Jeff Gibson grows potatoes for processing and the fresh market. Planting at the Paul-area operation, in the south-central region, concluded April 24, a few days ahead of the typical schedule.
“We only had one day of rain delay. It’s very dry here,” he said.
“Just about everybody is ahead of normal right now,” Gibson said. Though it has been colder than normal, the dry conditions enabled planting to proceed with little or no interruption.
Jeff Miller of Miller Research in Rupert said cooler soil leads to slower emergence and makes the plant more susceptible to Rhizoctonia Canker. Longer emergence gives the fungus more time to infect the plants. It is best managed at planting rather than after emergence.
In eastern Idaho, Brett Jensen had about one-third of his crop planted by April 27. He grows processing and fresh potatoes in the Idaho Falls-Hamer area.
“Planting conditions are pretty good,” he said. “We got some rain yesterday, so we’re planting now in good moisture. “We have had some cold nights, but now we’re looking at a pretty good forecast.”
Soil “has definitely been a little drier, and temperatures have been a little cooler,” Jensen said. “I think a lot of guys have waited a few days to let it warm up.”
Seed potato planting has started in some lower elevation areas but is not yet in full force, said Kasia Duellman, University of Idaho Extension seed potato specialist in Idaho Falls. Growers at higher elevations have not started; soil temperatures are still too low.
Soil temperatures between 45 and 70 degrees are optimal for planting seed potatoes, and “the soils in the higher seed-potato growing areas are not yet in this range,” she said.
Some areas are still experiencing soil temperatures the 30s — which isn’t necessarily abnormal for this time of year in those areas, she said.
Duellman said if soil is too dry, seed-potato emergence might be delayed. If it is too wet, the seed pieces are more susceptible to decay caused by soft-rot bacteria. “Either situation can lead to uneven crop stands.”
April 29, 2021 at 06:57AM
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