Dutch Crop tour potato - week 35
Potatoes wear out, regrowth can be disappointing
The potato crop of the Innovator variety is grown on plots of land Boerenbusiness Dutch Crop tour already wearing out nicely. In a 'normal' or 'average' year, the moment of wearing out is not strange in this period. Considering the later planting dates and the size of the tubers, the crop should actually continue to grow on some plots. The first plots are already turning grey due to the limited green foliage. Harvesting potatoes is still a long way off.
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After a relatively dry August with high temperatures, the potato crops are showing considerable signs of wear. Earlier this month, the participating growers of the Crop Tour already saw that the crop was deteriorating, but now the end of the growing season is seriously in sight. For an Innovator, that is not so strange in this period. But if growers count the growing days, then the crop actually has to stand a bit longer for the kilos. On some plots, the potatoes still have to grow to achieve an average yield, various growers report. The differences in yield were also clearly visible in the trial harvest figures for week 32.
little coarseness
On the Gewastour plot in Hellevoetsluis (South Holland), potato grower Kees Trouw sees that the growth and thus the final yield, will probably not be good. "The crop remains green, but only a few kilos are growing. The potatoes remain fine and do not really become coarse. The yield will not be good. In addition, you have too many pieces in a plot that are not in good condition and that also counts loudly in the kilos."
According to Trouw, the high rainfall this spring is also reflected now that it is becoming drier. "The root system is simply too poor and not well developed after this wet spring. It will now remain warm and dry weather for 14 days and that is absolutely not good for the crop. I am trying to pamper the potatoes with some foliar fertilization and that is what we are going to do."
Several plots of the Gewastour have an above-average number of tubers, as was evident from previous trial harvests. These showed that the percentage above 50 mm upwards was disappointing at an average of 58%. These plots have a hard time becoming a good, nice coarse batch, according to growers. As a rule, this is often negative for the yield.
Plots in return
The degree of wear and tear varies per plot and soil type, but on average the plots are deteriorating considerably at the moment. The plot in Dronten (Flevoland) was planted first and the seed potatoes went into the ground in the second week of April. Potato grower Adriaan Wortman indicates that growth is almost finished here too. "The crop is in steep decline. It is still turning a bit green, but I don't think we will add many more kilos." The harvest will take a while. "We will not be harvesting for the time being, that will take a while. That is due to the moment of delivery, because this batch will be delivered immediately after the harvest."
Potato grower Daan Tap from Elst in Gelderland is also experiencing a decline in his crop. "The crop is wearing out fast these days, I think. But compared to other years, it's pretty similar. We usually spray the potato foliage dead in the first week of September, we're not far off that now. We did plant a bit earlier than average," says Tap, who planted his Gewastour plot on 2 May.
In IJzendijke (Zeeland) the crop is still quite green, says potato grower Brian Salomé. "Here you can see that the crop is deteriorating, but so far it is still quite green. Certainly the part that was replanted later on this plot. That is a good thing, because here a lot still has to grow to catch up with the previously planted part."
The crop in Wouw in North Brabant is also on its way out. Here the potatoes were planted on 18 May. The later planting dates at potato grower Gybert Doggen can also be seen from the greener state of the crop.
Less regrowth
What will grow in the coming period with the current weather remains a guess. Although some areas had a good rain shower last weekend, it is quite dry elsewhere and with the warm and dry weather forecasts it will only get drier. Some of the crops and certain varieties are already in decline, such as on the plots of the Crop Tour. But also the plots planted later, where a lot still needs to be done in terms of tons to achieve an average yield, can soon deteriorate rapidly with the current weather forecast. Last year, July and August were a lot wetter than is the case now. That is a big difference, which has an effect on the regrowth. However, we also had a few hot days in August last season.
Jesse Torringa
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