Genomics and Applied Biology 2026, Vol.17, No.1, 26-36 http://bioscipublisher.com/index.php/gab 31 ridge body is too high and the water management is not in place, it will dry and wet intermittently during the swelling period, and it is also prone to potato cracking (Li et al., 2019). From this perspective, in order to increase the potato yield, ridge height should be considered as a front-end structural factor. 5.2 The impact of ridge height on the incidence of abnormal tubers and split tubers Abnormal tubers and split tubers are often the most direct cause of a decline in product quality. Abnormality is often related to the underground environment, such as oxygen deficiency in the rhizosphere, overly compacted soil, sudden increase in local resistance after excessive moisture, etc.; split tubers often occur when the moisture level fluctuates during the expansion period. A water irrigation experiment found that a sudden increase in soil moisture content would increase local mechanical resistance, inhibit normal root growth, and excessive irrigation could even directly cause tuber deformation (Colombi et al., 2018). This indicates that improper water management can “create abnormalities” in an invisible way. In areas with abundant rainfall, the value of ridge formation is primarily reflected in timely drainage of water and allowing air to enter. The mechanized operation procedures in Hunan specify a ridge height range of 20-40 cm, and emphasize the construction of waist ditches and perimeter ditches. In fact, the key to preventing abnormality and split tubers lies in the “ridge ditch system”. Another factor that is often overlooked is root zone gas: when the CO₂ content in the root zone reaches 0.5%-1.4%, reducing it to 0.1%-0.2% through ventilation can significantly increase yield (Bhattarai et al., 2017). This also suggests that reducing gas stress can help reduce abnormality caused by growth inhibition. From this, it can be seen that abnormality and split tubers are not accidental, but the result of the combined effect of ridge height and water and gas management. 5.3 Comprehensive evaluation of potato yield, yield per unit area and economic benefits Even if the yield increases, the economic benefits may not increase simultaneously. The key lies in how much can be sold and how much is lost during the harvesting and transportation process. The mechanized full-process production procedure integrates the row spacing, row height and operation mode. Essentially, it aims to reduce losses in transplanting, management and mechanical harvesting through standardized ridge types. The practices of enterprises and demonstration sites also give similar signals: technologies like mulching and drip irrigation, which simplify the process, can often increase the survival rate, save water and reduce labor, and simultaneously increase the commercial rate by a significant margin. Some demonstration sites achieve an average yield of 3,000-4,000 yuan per mu, with a commercial rate increase of over 10%. That is to say, economic evaluation should not only focus on yield but also take into account the commercial rate and cost structure. Research on mechanized transplanting in the Huaihai region also shows that mulching and ridge formation not only increase soil temperature and LAI but also lead to simultaneous improvements in yield and income, forming a continuous chain of “planting quality - growth - yield - income” (Liu et al., 2018). Specifically regarding the ridge height, a more reliable approach is to set 2-3 gradients of 25, 30, and 35 cm in the target ecological area. The plots are compared for commercial potato rate, cracked potato rate, machine harvest damage rate, as well as labor and irrigation costs. Finally, the preferred solution is determined by “commercial potato output minus costs” (Li et al., 2019). 6 Case Study: Analysis of the Effects of Different Furrow Heights on Sweet Potato Cultivation in Typical Ecological Zones 6.1 Overview of natural conditions, soil types and cultivation patterns of the case area This article selects the southeastern paddy soil area as the discussion case, specifically taking the Ya Jin Village in Dali Town, Xinnuo District, Fujian Province as an example. Public data indicates that this experimental field is of medium fertility loam soil, with good drainage and irrigation conditions, and it was previously planted with rice. It is a typical area for re-cropping sweet potatoes after rice. The limiting conditions in this ecological zone are relatively concentrated: heat and water often occur simultaneously. The soil in the paddy field becomes more cohesive during certain periods of moisture, and whether the ridge structure can quickly regain oxygen after rain directly affects the smooth initiation of the tuber (Villordon et al., 2019).
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