International Journal of Horticulture, 2025, Vol.15, No.3, 113-122 http://hortherbpublisher.com/index.php/ijh 118 6.2 Breeding and high yield cultivation practice of fresh potato varieties in Zhejiang, China Potato is an important dual-purpose crop for both grain and vegetable use in Zhejiang Province, with an annual planting area of about 60 000 hectares. The tubers are mainly used for fresh transportation, direct sale, storage, and consumption. Potato plays a significant role in agricultural production in hilly and mountainous areas. It is sown from early January to late February and harvested from late April to mid-May. By making full use of the winter fallow period of paddy fields to plant early-maturing potatoes, early sowing, early harvesting, and early marketing can bring considerable economic benefits. Due to the long-term use of self-saved seed potatoes, many varieties have unclear origins and serious genetic degradation, resulting in low yield. The average yield per 667 m² across the province is less than 1 500 kg. After more than ten years of joint breeding efforts by the Zhejiang Academy of Agricultural Sciences and the Jinhua Academy of Agricultural Sciences, the first potato variety independently developed in Zhejiang Province, Zheshu 956, was registered in 2019 (Registration No.: GPD Potato (2019) 330032) and listed as a leading variety in Zhejiang Province in 2021. It has become one of the main potato varieties cultivated in the province. The average fresh tuber yield of Zheshu 956 per 667 m2 is 2 882.4 kg, which is 23.02% higher than the control variety Zhongshu 3, with the highest yield reaching 3 683.3 kg, significantly increasing production levels. Zheshu 956 has oval to spindle-shaped tubers, yellow skin and yellow flesh, smooth skin, shallow eyes, good commercial quality, high resistance to late blight, and moderate resistance to viral diseases. Meanwhile, through the promotion of spring potato mulching techniques, no-tillage straw mulching, early cultivation in greenhouses, full mechanization, and high-yield, high-efficiency intercropping and relay cropping systems, good social, economic, and ecological benefits have been achieved (Figure 3). In Xinchang County, Zhejiang Province, potatoes are mainly used as vegetables. After harvesting fresh potatoes, thin slices or small pieces of fresh potatoes are added to the locally famous dishes such as "egg vermicelli (dried rice noodles)" and "fried rice cakes", which greatly enhance the flavor. Therefore, in the introduction, selection, and demonstration of potato varieties, the focus is on those with good taste, medium tuber size, and good storability. High-quality varieties such as Mira, Dongnong 303, and Zhongshu 3 remain the main varieties cultivated in Xinchang County. Figure 3 High-yield demonstration site of Zheshu 956 (A: Field demonstration site; B: Fresh potato harvest scene; C: Largest single tuber) 6.3 Analysis of intensive cultivation techniques in european countries In Europe, intensive cultivation techniques have been employed to stabilize and maximize potato yields despite unpredictable growing conditions. For instance, in Poland, field trials from 2013 to 2016 identified the 'Pokusa' cultivar as the highest yielding and most stable in terms of tuber yield, while 'Kuras' was the most stable and highest yielding for starch. These trials highlighted the significant influence of June and August temperatures and August precipitation on tuber yield, emphasizing the importance of selecting stable cultivars to mitigate climate-related stresses (Lenartowicz et al., 2019). In Serbia, a study on irrigation and fertilization methods revealed that the VR-808 cultivar consistently produced the highest yields under both sprinkler and drip irrigation systems, with specific fertilization combinations further enhancing tuber quality and yield (Žunić et al., 2023).
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