Soil Management Practices in Potato Cropping Systems
Summary
Effective soil management underpins sustainable potato production by enhancing soil structure, nutrient availability and resilience to pests and diseases. Central practices include crop rotation, whereby potatoes are alternated with cereals, legumes or brassicas to disrupt disease cycles and optimise nutrient use. Cover cropping and green manures enrich soil organic matter, sequester carbon and support diverse microbial communities that can suppress soilborne pathogens. Tillage intensity is calibrated to balance weed control and soil aggregation, with reduced or conservation tillage increasingly adopted to minimise erosion and retain moisture. Organic amendments such as farmyard manure, compost or crop residues supply essential nutrients and foster favourable soil physical properties. Targeted nutrient placement, for example deep placement of fertiliser granules, promotes efficient uptake by deep root systems and reduces leaching losses. Integrating these approaches within regionally adapted rotations and irrigation regimes not only improves tuber yield and quality but also contributes to long-term soil health, farm profitability and environmental protection across diverse agro-ecological zones.
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Soil Management Practices in Potato Cropping Systems publication trend
The graph below shows the total number of articles in soil management practices in potato cropping systems across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).
Technical terms
Crop rotation: The planned sequence of crops to break pest and disease cycles and balance nutrient demands.
Cover cropping: Growing non-harvested crops between main seasons to protect soil, add organic matter and suppress weeds.
Green manure: Use of living plants or residues incorporated into the soil to improve fertility and structure.
Soil organic carbon: Carbon contained in soil organic matter, a key indicator of soil health and fertility.
Deep placement fertilisation: Targeted application of nutrients below the soil surface to enhance root uptake and minimise losses.
References
- Effect of Deep Placement Fertilization on the Distribution of Biomass, Nutrients, and Root System Development in Potato Plants. Plants (2023).
- Improving Soil Quality and Potato Productivity with Manure and High-Residue Cover Crops in Eastern Canada. Plants (2021).
- Use and Effects of Different Brassica and Other Rotation Crops on Soilborne Diseases and Yield of Potato †. Horticulturae (2018).
- Irreplaceable Role of Amendment-Based Strategies to Enhance Soil Health and Disease Suppression in Potato Production. Microorganisms (2021).
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