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The potato is a starchy, tuberous crop from the perennial Solanum tuberosum of the Solanaceae family.

The word potato may refer to the plant itself as well as the edible tuber

In the region of the Andes, there are some other closely related cultivated potato species.

Potatoes were first introduced outside the Andes region four centuries ago, and have become an integral part of much of the world's cuisine.

It is the world's fourth-largest food crop, following rice, wheat and maize.

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Introduction

Physical methods

Chemical method

Integrated weed management practice.

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Weed management practices in Potato

Inclusion of smother crop like cow-pea and green manure crop eliminates weeds by depriving them of sunlight.

The weeds are also buried along with the green manure crops and destroyed.

It also improves the fertility status of the field on decomposition.

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Crop rotations

Some perennial weeds such as Cynodan dactylon L, Cyperus rotundus are simply reduced by ploughing the field deep during the summer months (May - June).

Good seed bed preparation It gives the good start to the crop by ensuring quick emergence of

potato.

Timely planting

Planting of well sprouted tubers at sufficient soil moisture, proper depth, time and maintaining high plant densities per unit area helps in growing competitive potato crop.

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Hot weather cultivation

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Application of light irrigation

The crop planted in the month of September experiences high temperature.

The furrows formed for sowing get dry very quickly.

This hinders germination of Potato.

Therefore, application of light irrigation at short interval helps sprout

the tubers rapidly.

It should be taken care that the water level in the furrow should raise half the furrow depth i.e. it should remain below the seed placement level of the ridge.

These methods are also called manual and mechanical methods of weeds control.

These methods do not involve chemicals but require manual energy,

animal power or fuel to run implements that dig out the weeds. These methods include:

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Placement of manures and fertilizersApplication of manures and fertilizers in bands near the root zone of the crop reduces the nutrient loss by weeds considerably by depriving the weeds of nutrients

It also promotes the crop growth and plant vigour. This in turn smothers the weeds.

Physical methods

Pulling out the weeds by hand, hand hoe, spade etc is a very common practice in Punjab.

This method is also useful for the destruction of weeds growing within the rows where they can not be controlled by cultivation.

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Manual weeding

Single bottom animal/tractor drawn ridger is used for earthing-up of crop while the weeds growing along the side and base of furrow are uprooted and destroyed.

Mechanical methods

Reduces the growth of annual weeds in potato.It has a smoothering effect on weeds by excluding the light from photosynthetic portions of plant and thus helps in inhibiting the top growth.

It also provides an effective barrier to weed emergence.In addition it helps to conserve moisture and maintain temperatures which results quick in emergence of potato. Mulching can be done by the use of dry straw, grasses, other plant parts, paper, plastic and polythene films.Mulch should be thick enough to prevent light penetration / transmission to suppress photosynthesis by weeds.

The mulch of straw in potato should be all out 5-10 cm thick.Timely hoeing and weeding keeps the weed plants under check

The potato crop develops crop canopy in about four weeks after crop emergence and if the weeds are controlled by this time, the crop gains a considerate competition advantages.

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Mulching

Chemical methods of weed control

Weed control through chemical results in better growth of crop and often in improved yield of tubers than manual and mechanical means.

This is due to the elimination of mechanical damage to the plants.

Chemical weed control is quick, less laborious and a large area can be covered in a short time.

Besides, chemical weed control in seed productions program is of

great practical utility for the production of healthy seed grade potato as it minimizes the spread of mechanically transmitted viruses x and s by omitting some of the cultural operations during the crop growth.

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The herbicides used in potato can be grouped in these categories.

Pre - planting application

Pre - emergence application

Post - emergence application

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List of herbicides with dose for potato cultivation

Herbicides Dose per hectare Time of application

Stomp 30 EC (Pendimethalin) 2.5 litresPre-emergence application after the application of first irrigation.

Tafazine 500 gmPre-emergence application after the application of first irrigation.

Atrataf 500 gmPre-emergence application after the application of first irrigation.

Sencor 1 kgPre-emergence application after the application of first irrigation.

Lasso / Tok E-25 25 5 litrePre-emergence application after the application of first irrigation.

Tok E- 25 / Lasso + Tafazine (2.5 litres + 250 g)

Mixing of two herbicides gives better weed control than their individual applications. Apply this mixture as pre– emergence after first irrigation.

Stomp F-34 2.5 litres When weeds attain the height of 5-7 cm and then do the spray.

Gramaxone 1.25 - 2.0 litresWhen tubers germination various from 5-10 percent and if the weed population is less than 100 plants per sq m.

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