Optimal temperature for growing potatoes. What sub-zero temperatures can potatoes withstand?

Even without delving into statistics, we can say with 100% confidence that potatoes are a popular product that is grown everywhere, despite the striking difference in conditions - from the damp, cool North-West to the hot steppes of southern Russia. And this is only in the European part of the Russian Federation.

The widespread practice of planting potatoes on the May holidays has only one explanation - combined weekends are the best fit for this. Planting potatoes from the Far East to the Baltic in these 3-4 days is not the best choice: in the southern regions the soil has already lost winter moisture, and in the north it has not yet warmed up.

Soil temperature is the determining factor that is easiest to focus on. The rest - structure, humidity, breathability - are somehow related to temperature.

There are no exact dates for planting potatoes, even for a specific area. The only sure guideline for starting spring field work is the ripening of the soil. It is necessary to choose those few days when the soil has warmed up sufficiently, but has not yet lost its supply of winter moisture.

Experienced summer residents know that the yield and quality of the crop depends on the timing of sowing potatoes. There is a simple explanation for early planting of tubers:

1. Early planting gives an early harvest. No one has canceled the growing season, and you can gradually enjoy early young potatoes 40 days after planting.
2. Early planting is the best prevention of various viral potato diseases. It has been scientifically proven that viral diseases in garden crops are spread by sucking insects, in particular aphids. By the time of the mass flight of aphids, potato bushes have time to grow stronger and become resistant to many diseases.
3. The earlier potatoes are planted, the higher their yield, which is confirmed by statistics.

Dependence of potato yield on planting time (Northwestern Federal District of the Russian Federation)

Note:

Traditionally, summer residents calculate potato yields in buckets.

• 100% means that 1 bucket of potatoes was harvested from 1 bucket;
• 600% - 6 buckets of potatoes are obtained from 1 bucket, which is considered the norm for the region.

In other regions, only the timing in the 1st column differs, the trend remains: the maximum yield is observed with early planting.

Potato planting dates - how not to make a mistake

You also cannot rush into early planting of tubers: it is completely pointless to plant potatoes in frozen ground. It is necessary to take into account the main factors that affect the timing and find a middle ground.

The weather is the weakest link in making plans. The forecast for 1-2 weeks before the proposed planting should be monitored. Sometimes you have to completely rebuild carefully constructed plans - no one will plant in the rain and mud.

Weather conditions are a decisive factor in the “ripening” of soil. The soil is “ripe” and ready for planting vegetable crops when the required humidity and temperature are established.

Agronomists are unanimous in the opinion that it makes sense to plant potatoes only when the soil temperature at a depth of 10-12 cm is +7...8°C. Experienced summer residents know that this temperature of the top layer of soil is established when the average daily air temperature does not fall below +8°C.

Soil temperature and growing potatoes

This lower threshold is like “absolute zero” for tubers - starting from a temperature of +7°C, potato roots begin to sprout and work actively. If the temperature is lower (combined with high humidity), there is a high chance that the potatoes will simply rot. If the bed has not had time to warm up, you can use a life hack.

In extreme cases, sprouted tubers can be planted in cold (3...7°C) soil.

Potato sprouts can withstand temperatures starting from +3°C - slowly, but still develop. The risk is justified if warming is expected in the near future.

It is also undesirable to delay planting tubers. Well-heated and dry soil does not contribute to the rooting of potato sprouts. In the absence of soil moisture, the plant has only the water supply in the tuber to form a bush.

Let us recall that the mass of a standard seed tuber does not exceed 100 g - it contains no more than 50 ml of water. There can be no question of a full-fledged potato harvest without high-quality watering.

Soil structure and warming up times

Within one garden plot, let alone an entire region, the soil map can vary significantly. How quickly the bed warms up and matures for planting potatoes depends on the mechanical composition of the soil.

1. Light soils, sandy and sandy loam, quickly warm up and very soon lose their water supply: literally and figuratively, “water goes into the sand.”
2. Medium-density soils, light and medium loam, are the most successful option for growing garden crops. The bed warms up quickly and retains a supply of melted winter water for a long time.
3. Heavy loam and clay complicate the agricultural technology of growing potatoes, since the soil warms up and ripens slowly. This is not critical, since preparatory operations (cutting combs, etc.) help to cope with the problem.

The presence of clay in the composition makes the soil moisture-absorbing. The silicates that make up clay chemically bind water molecules. The heat capacity of the soil increases - the bed warms up much longer.

In this case, the presence of a significant amount of water is rather a disadvantage: water has the highest heat capacity - it delays the maturation of the soil. Potato planting dates are being pushed back.

Among summer residents there is an idea of ​​chernozem as a separate type of soil. This is not so: the very concept of “chernozem” speaks only of a significant content of vermicompost, but not of the main component of the soil - sand or clay. In the same way, sandy loam chernozem and nutritious loam are found.

How to determine that the soil has warmed up for planting potatoes

It would be good for open ground beds to calculate suitable planting dates from temperature measurements, as is practiced when growing vegetable crops in greenhouses. Using a thermometer in the garden does not give an accurate picture - the soil warms up differently in different areas.

How can we determine that, on average, the earth has warmed up to +7...8°C at a depth of 10-12 cm? It is impossible to take into account all possible factors - moving day shadow, the angle of inclination of the site in relation to the sun's rays, preliminary preparatory work on the site, uneven soil composition, groundwater occurrence, etc.

Traditionally, summer residents, and not only others, are guided by signs based on centuries-old observations of nature and the phases of plant development.

Traditional methods for determining when to plant potatoes

• buds opening on a birch tree;
• cherry blossom.

In fact, these events occur at intervals of 7-10 days. We can summarize:

• the earliest start of planting corresponds to the opening of birch buds;
• Bird cherry blossom is the latest date for planting potatoes, when it is no longer possible to postpone field work.

Scientific methods for determining timing

City summer residents will not come to the site to trample barefoot on the beds. It’s easier to wait for warmer weather, when the risk of frost has passed, and plant your couple of hundred acres of potatoes.

For planting tubers, the optimal temperature is from +12°C to +15°C, which approximately corresponds to the established daytime temperature of approximately +16...20°C.

You should definitely take into account the composition of the soil and do not delay planting in sandy loam areas.

How to increase soil temperature

In order to plant potatoes earlier, including in areas with heavy soils that warm up slowly, preparatory work is carried out.

1. In the fall, ridges are cut for early planting of tubers. The soil raised above the level of the bed dries out and warms up faster - it is ready for planting 10-14 days earlier.
2. Deep plowing of the site shortly before the planned planting allows you to dry the top layer of soil and warm it up, since it is done by turning the layer over.
3. Organization of warm beds, when the top fertile layer seems to lie on an air cushion of plant waste.

The local temperature of the bed layer also increases due to the introduction of organic fertilizers, humus or compost.

Each summer resident has his own approach to determining planting dates: one closely follows weather forecasters, the other watches the trees. Despite the differences in methods, the goal is the same: not to miss the optimal time for planting tubers. I was delayed for 2 weeks - the harvest was 1/3 lower.

Potatoes are a plant of moderately cool climates with relatively high air humidity. In the Northern Hemisphere of Eurasia it is grown mainly between 40 and 60° N, in North America - between 40 and 50° N. w. In the Southern Hemisphere, the main growing regions are located in the south of the continent.

Since potatoes of different ripeness groups differ in the length of the growing season (from 60 to 170 days), they can adapt well to different climatic conditions. Despite its sensitivity to frost, it is grown in more northern regions and at higher altitudes than cereals.

Potato tops freeze at temperatures from -1.5 to -1.7 °C, tubers - at soil temperatures from -1 to -2 °C. In the spring, at temperatures below -2 °C, the potato tops die, but when positive temperatures set in, they grow back, however, in these cases, the yield of tubers is sharply reduced due to the slow development of plants.

Potatoes begin to grow when the soil temperature reaches 8 °C, and those planted with sprouted tubers - at 4...6 °C. In the phase of growth and tuber formation, the optimal average daily soil temperature is 17 °C (daytime 20 °C and night - 12...14 °C). The growth and development of potato plants is inhibited if the temperature rises to 29...30 °C. In this case, tubers do not form or become sluggish, their flesh turns black from necrosis caused by heat, and when they germinate, thread-like sprouts appear. The optimal average daily air temperature for potato assimilation is about 20 °C (daytime 25 °C, night 16 °C). At temperatures above 30 °C, potato plants are severely inhibited. The sum of temperatures for the germination of early potato varieties is 1000...1400 °C, for later varieties - 1400...2000 °C.

The moisture requirement of potatoes is average compared to other cultivated plants. The transpiration coefficient (the amount of water required to produce 1 kg of dry weight) is approximately 550 l/kg of dry weight.

To produce 100 c/ha of dry matter (500 c of tubers/ha), approximately 3 thousand tons of water (300...400 mm of precipitation) are required. But the need of potatoes for water at different periods of development is not the same. For its germination, moisture from the mother tuber is sufficient. In this phase, potatoes do not depend on soil moisture and only need heat and oxygen. Therefore, a dry spring with rapid warming of the soil and the possibility of planting potatoes earlier are favorable for it. Before tuberization begins, its moisture requirement is low, but then an adequate water supply is required until the end of flowering. At the end of growth and development, its need for water decreases again. The high moisture content at this time still promotes the growth of tubers, but they are formed with a low dry matter content, have loose skin and the associated low quality and are poorly stored.

Depending on the ripeness group, different potato varieties require maximum moisture at different times. In Central Europe, early potatoes with a short growing season need this from mid-May to the end of June, for mid-early varieties this period is from June to July, and for later varieties - from July, August and the first half of September. Therefore, the risk when growing potatoes, depending on the uneven distribution of precipitation during the growing season and the difference in its amount between years, can be reduced by using varieties of different ripeness groups.

Due to its weak cuticle and low osmotic pressure, potatoes are a hydrophilic plant, i.e. more adapted to humid conditions. It is very sensitive to sudden changes in temperature and humidity. Therefore, in many regions, water supply is the main task for achieving stable and high yields, especially during the period of tuber formation and growth. Potatoes require 5...6 mm of water per day from the soil moisture reserve.

Potatoes tolerate short-term droughts, but during long dry periods (less than 50% of normal field moisture capacity), the yield is greatly reduced. Under such conditions, plants stop growing, tuber phellogen dies and the cork layer becomes hard. With subsequent precipitation, the growth of tubers is not restored, which leads to the regrowth of their tops and the formation of constrictions and children. After a period of optimal water supply, which promotes strong growth of tops, even minor disturbances in the water regime lead to a decrease in yield (Lebedeva V.A., 2010).

Potatoes are not very picky about soil conditions. It grows best and produces a high yield of good quality tubers on sufficiently aerated, loose, crumbling and easily warmed soil, but with appropriate agricultural technology it can be grown on almost any soil. Soil reaction (pH) in the range of 4.5...7.5 is most suitable for growing potatoes if the soil has good buffer capacity.

Loamy soils and sandy loams are especially suitable for growing potatoes. If there is a good supply of moisture (close groundwater or sufficient precipitation), sandy soils are also suitable. On heavier loams and clay soils with poor aeration that warm up slowly in the spring, yields are usually lower. In autumn, when the weather is rainy, such soils make it difficult to harvest tubers with potato harvesters. To improve the structure, these soils require large quantities of organic fertilizers and intensive cultivation. Even on marshy soils, high yields can be obtained through the use of appropriate varieties. However, the danger of late frosts on such soils does not allow early planting. Swampy soils require the use of special agricultural technology.

Based on the above, the following conclusions can be drawn:

Potatoes require, first of all, loose soil, free from weeds, which does not provide strong mechanical resistance to the growth of stolons and tubers, is easily permeable to air and contains a sufficient, but not excessive amount of moisture. To obtain progressively increasing potato yields from year to year, it is necessary that environmental conditions fully comply with the biological requirements of the potato plant. In properly organized crop rotation, using mobile agricultural technology, it is possible to provide all the necessary conditions for obtaining high potato yields.

These conditions are as follows:

Weed control;

Creation of the necessary water-air regime and mineral nutrition;

Ensures harvesting by forming screenable, clod-free ridges.

Thus, in the practice of potato growing, finding methods and working bodies aimed at destroying weeds and creating ridges with a fine-lumpy soil structure is the most important task of potato cultivation (Telepov O.A., 2012).

To get a bountiful and tasty harvest, it is enough for a gardener to follow simple rules for planting and caring for potatoes. The temperature for planting potatoes may vary. It depends on the climate in your region, the type of potato and the condition of the land. The optimal soil temperature for growing potatoes is 15 degrees. If the temperature drops below 15 degrees, the plantings may not germinate. Tubers should be planted to a depth of approximately 10-15 cm, when the average daily temperature fluctuates around 8 degrees.

Experienced gardeners recommend hardening the tubers at a temperature of 5-7 degrees before planting. In this case, when cold weather sets in, potatoes easily adapt to frost. Soil temperature and moisture largely depend on weather conditions. If it rains in the region, then planting tubers should be postponed. The timing of planting tubers has a significant impact on the quality of the crop and potatoes. If you give preference to early varieties, they have the advantage that pests will soon begin to eat the plants, and earlier varieties already have immunity.

For planting, it is very important to observe not only the temperature of the ground, but also the humidity of the soil. Planting in soil that is too wet can cause bacteria to appear. If you plant tubers early, there is a high chance that they will freeze. Some gardeners are guided by folk signs and plant tubers during the budding period of birch trees or the end of the bird cherry flowering period.

The timing of planting greatly influences the processing of plantings in the summer. Each variety must be planted in one place in the shortest possible time, or treatment with chemicals against diseases and pests will become ineffective. Such treatments are always done at certain developmental stages and each potato bush must correspond to this age at the time of treatment. Only late planting does not harm potatoes, because above-zero temperatures have already established themselves, and the majority of pests have already managed to attack early plantings.

Please note that the tubers are planted deep into the soil, so the potatoes receive enough moisture.

To prevent the plantings from freezing, they must be constantly hilled. When the soil is loosened, the optimal temperature in the soil is established independently and does not allow the sprouts to stop developing.

To get a good harvest, the soil must meet the following requirements:

• For fertile soil it is necessary to receive 250-300 mm of precipitation over the entire growing season
• Maximum soil moisture no more than 75-90%
• The soil must be moistened evenly

Planting potatoes

Early varieties can be planted at the end of April, when the weather is stable and warm outside. Most gardeners plant tubers when the optimum and above-zero temperature for the ground arrives. Most often this period occurs from May 7 to May 10. When choosing a planting date, be guided by the soil temperature. At a depth of 8-10 cm, the soil should warm up to 6-8 degrees. In a place where the soil is often waterlogged and compacted, a high ridge of 10-15 cm should be made. Tubers should be planted in ridges at a distance of 70 cm. This measure will protect the plantings from excess water and improve heat exchange.

If the soil is soft, then it is recommended to plant tubers 10-12 cm deep. With loamy soils 8-10 cm. On sandy soil in the southern regions, ridges are not practiced. Early varieties, unlike later ones, have smaller vegetative organs and straight stems, so they are planted in rows with a distance of 25-30 cm from each other. Tubers of medium and late-ripening varieties are planted at a distance of 30-35 cm from each other. At soil temperatures above 30 degrees, tuber growth slows down.

If the abnormal heat lasts for several days, it can lead to damage to the tubers, from which it is difficult to obtain a full harvest. Before planting potato tubers, you need to study the weather report for the coming week. If constant rains and intense heat are not expected, then tubers can be planted.

How do you know when the soil is ready for planting tubers?

It is typical for soil that is suitable for planting potatoes that it crumbles and does not stick together. The temperature of the earth can be measured with an ordinary thermometer. If you have planted potato tubers, but frost is suddenly predicted, then it is recommended to cover the plantings with special material at night. This could be plastic film, thick fabric or a haystack.

Tubers grow well in nutritious soils. If there was little snow in winter and the spring was dry, then there is little moisture in the soil. Potatoes are not suitable for dry soil. In this case, it is recommended to moisten and fertilize the soil before planting.

Suitable temperature for normal plant growth

For full growth and development, you need to adhere to the recommended temperatures. The tops grow at an air temperature of 5 degrees, and maximum growth occurs at 20 degrees. If daytime temperatures exceed 30 degrees, the growth of tops slows down. The tops are also sensitive to frost.

When planting an early variety, if it is -2 degrees outside, the plant will turn black. Much attention should be paid to the place where potatoes are planted. A suitable site should be located on a hill, preferably on the south or east side. In a low area, cold air accumulates at night and in the morning, and plantings may be subject to frost.

Potatoes bloom at a temperature of 18-19 degrees. If it's warmer outside, the buds fall off. Flowers have no economic significance. For a bountiful harvest, it does not matter how many flowers there are on the potato. Basically, all varieties of potatoes form tubers at a soil temperature of 15-20 degrees. The air temperature fluctuates around 20-25 degrees. In other weather conditions, potato growing slows down. In very hot and dry climates, potatoes should be watered more often to prevent the plants from starving.

During the summer, potatoes live their entire lives. During the growing season, the plant blooms and forms mature root crops. The ripening time of potatoes varies somewhat among different varieties, which the gardener must pay attention to when planting. Let's figure out how many days it takes for the crop to ripen from the moment of planting.

Ripening time of potato varieties

Potatoes grow for a certain number of days from planting to harvesting. Typically, this period is longer for late-ripening varieties than for early-ripening ones.

It is recommended to plant those varieties that have time to ripen over the summer. For example, very early potatoes grow from thirty-five to fifty days. For late varieties to ripen, it takes at least four months from the moment of planting in open ground.

• productivity;
• taste qualities;
• disease resistance;
• keeping quality during storage.

It is better to choose planting material that suits the existing soil composition. This will allow you to get maximum yield with the least amount of effort and money.

Early ripening

The duration of the growing season for early potatoes is from 50 to 65 days. Growing such root crops allows you to get a new harvest in mid-summer. In a warm spring, planted seeds sprout already in the first ten days of May.

The advantage of early potatoes is that they are less likely to be affected by late blight, since by August the crop is already harvested. Thanks to the long storage period, the tubers remain unchanged for several months.

The disadvantage of early potatoes is the low percentage of starch content due to the lower dry matter content. In addition, it is more susceptible to various diseases and rarely produces high yields.

Early ripening varieties are:

• Alyona;
• Ariel;
• Zhukovsky early.

Potatoes are good for growing by residents of central Russia.

Mid-early

Mid-early varieties ripen longer than early ones. Usually from 65 to 80 days. Tubers develop better in fertile and warm soil with sufficient moisture. The most popular from this category are:

• Rowan;
• Scarlett;
• Romano;
• Ilyinsky.

Mid-season

The mid-season variety produces a harvest already in the first ten days of August. It is recommended to plant it in open ground in early May. High yields are achieved by protecting the tubers from fungal diseases that progress in the cold, wet summer.

Mid-season potato varieties have gained popularity among domestic summer residents. The tubers have a high starch fiber content, which gives them excellent taste.

The most popular:

• Dubrava;
• Sineglazka (Hannibal).

Mid-late

Mid-late potatoes ripen after flowering. Its growing season lasts up to four months, during which it is not recommended to dig up tubers. This period is optimal for the growth of root crops and the accumulation of the maximum amount of dry matter in them.

The following mid-late potato varieties are known:

• Zdabytak;
• Crane;
• Asterix.

The choice of gardeners is due to its excellent taste and shelf life.

Late ripening

A characteristic feature of late-ripening potatoes is the ability to retain valuable nutritional properties for a long time. These potatoes are usually dug in September, at least one hundred and twenty days after planting. It is recommended to plant seed material in the second and third ten days of May.

The crop is not affected by possible spring frosts, since they end by mid-May. Late planting determines the slow development of plants due to lack of moisture in the soil. Therefore, it is possible to use artificial irrigation.

The taste qualities are very pronounced, since root vegetables contain the highest percentage of dry content. You can safely expect a large harvest, since many organic compounds are stored in plants over a long growing season.

• Lorch;
• Saturn;
• Atlant.

Late potatoes are not afraid of many diseases, since it is resistant to their manifestations. It is recommended to plant this vegetable in southern soils to ensure full ripening of the tubers. When grown in midland soils, it is necessary to treat the bushes against late blight.

Factors affecting the rate of maturation

Amateur gardeners and professional farmers do not have exact planting and harvesting dates. The reason for this is the annually changing weather conditions. Therefore, no one can say exactly how many days remain before harvesting a given crop.

In most cases, people try to harvest crops in the most comfortable weather conditions close to the digging period. Usually, after planting, it takes several days to ripen, otherwise the taste of the dug up potatoes will not be the best. What prevents it from maturing on time:

1. Early boarding. Large tubers grow even when planted early in the ground, if weather conditions do not interfere with this. Otherwise, the potatoes may freeze or rot in excessively wet soil.
2. Water scarcity. When growing on a personal plot, it is necessary to create comfortable conditions for potatoes. In dry soils, the harvest is poor, since the root crops do not have enough water to grow.
3. Poor soil fertilization. Whatever the prevailing weather conditions, mineral and folk fertilizers always help increase productivity. Timely feeding of plants speeds up the ripening process, even if the weather is not favorable. In cold summer conditions this is especially true. But it's important not to overdo it. Every gardener knows that excessive amounts of fertilizer in the soil leads to the accumulation of harmful nitrates in tubers, which can cause the development of cancer.

To obtain a good harvest, it is important to familiarize yourself with the agricultural technology of cultivating the crop before planting purchased seed material. Choosing the right methods will help avoid potato spoilage. It is allowed to use different planting dates; it is only important to bring them closer to the recommended sowing periods.

How to speed up the process

You can speed up the ripening of potatoes by senication (spraying the tops). Ripening and subsequent ripening of the tubers will be more active if the tops are treated with a solution of copper sulfate (0.5%) before digging. The vegetative upper parts will begin to dry out, and all their nutrients will go into the tubers. Such potatoes are not afraid of early digging. Spraying is carried out three weeks before harvest.

Such tubers can be stored for as long as during natural ripening. It is recommended to burn yellow potato stems after harvesting, thereby preventing the accumulation of dangerous compounds in the soil.

If the tops have already turned yellow and the harvest time has not yet arrived, you should start digging up the potatoes, as the tubers may begin to rot. This approach increases the shelf life of root crops in long winter conditions.

An empty garden requires fertilization. In autumn, this event is especially important, as it helps to create favorable conditions for the future harvest.

When the tops are mowed early, the root crops also ripen faster. Desiccation (spraying plants with special means) helps to speed up this process artificially.

Before using any method of accelerating the ripening of potatoes, you should consult with professional gardeners so as not to upset the fragile balance in nature with your actions.

I planted potatoes as seedlings, now I’m thinking - when should I plant them at the dacha? You can protect from frost, and covering such a quantity is not a problem.

I know about planting potatoes - when the birch tree is covered with a “green haze”. What other signs? I found a hint on the temperature on the Internet.

The requirements of the potato plant to environmental conditions at different periods of life are not the same. In addition, different plant organs exhibit different reactions to the same factor. For example, a temperature of 12 degrees significantly inhibits plant growth, but it has a beneficial effect on tuber formation.

Potato plants develop better in cool summer conditions. The buds of the eyes awaken at 3-6 degrees. Tubers begin to germinate intensively at soil temperatures of 7-12 degrees, but this process occurs faster at 20 degrees. Potato roots form at temperatures not lower than 7 degrees, so you can start planting them only when the soil at a depth of 10-14 centimeters warms up to 7-8 degrees.

For mass emergence of seedlings, the optimal air temperature is within 15-25 degrees. At very low and very high temperatures, germination rates slow down.

At a temperature of 3-5 degrees, in some potato varieties, growth is so weakened that the buds on the tubers begin to develop without the formation of a root system.

At temperatures below 3-5 and above 31 - 35 degrees, their growth and development are suspended, and the presence of potato tubers for several days at a soil temperature of 1 - 1.5 degrees or 35-40 degrees usually leads to severe damage to the buds and tubers, from which it is already difficult to obtain normal, well-developing plants.

Potato seedlings require cool, moist weather to develop. At this time, tender young plants are equally sensitive to both cold and heat and dry winds.

Potato tops begin to grow at an air temperature of about 5-6 degrees, and their maximum growth occurs in moderately moist soil and 17-22 degrees. At temperatures above 42-45 degrees, tops growth stops, and at 50 degrees the plant withers and may die.

The tops are also sensitive to low temperatures. When there is frost minus 1 - 1.5 degrees, the plants turn black and die. Therefore, when growing early potatoes, the choice of site is of great importance. Thus, in low areas, where cold air stagnates in the morning, seedlings are more often damaged by frost than in higher areas.

The most favorable temperature for potato flowering is 18-21 degrees. Hotter weather causes the flowers and buds to drop. Typically, at a temperature of 27-29 degrees, flowering stops.

The flowers themselves have no economic significance. The presence or absence of flowers on potato plants does not affect its yield. Therefore, there is no point in doing a lot of manual work to remove flowers, which is practiced by some potato growers. (This was confirmed by the experiments of Oleg Telepov, a famous potato grower)

For most potato varieties, the most favorable soil temperature for tuber formation is 15-19 degrees, which corresponds to an air temperature of 21-25 degrees. At soil temperatures below 6 and above 23 degrees, tuber growth decreases sharply, and at 26-29 degrees it stops.

High temperatures combined with long daylight hours cause the transformation of stolons into above-ground shoots and the growth of tubers. On the other hand, heat and drought promote the formation of a large number of stolons and their branching, resulting in an increase in the number of small tubers.

If during the period of formation and growth of tubers there is prolonged hot weather (30-40°C), this causes “ecological” degeneration of potatoes. It consists of metabolic disorders and a sharp decrease in the yield and seed qualities of tubers.

During hot and dry periods, the growth of young tubers stops; apical eyes sprout on them, which form sprouts and secondary tubers at soil temperatures above 20-30 degrees. At temperatures above 29 degrees, such sprouts develop into above-ground stems, and then form their own root system and above-ground mass. This overgrowth of tubers significantly reduces the yield and its quality.