Potato Grower

Meeting peak demand timing for calcium is the key component to increasing tuber quality and minimizing shrinkage and other storage issues. Once tuber initiation begins cell division inside the developing potato happens rapidly for about 3 weeks. The "cell-division window" is the only time when calcium gets incorporated into the tuber cells. Once cell division ends all growers can do is work to maintain the tuber calcium level that was achieved. Getting calcium into tubers can be challenging because potatoes only take up calcium through the stolon and the tuber root hairs. All calcium that moves via mass flow into the main root system is directed primarily to the growing points on the vine to support vegetative cell division. To maximize calcium in the tuber two things must occur before and during the cell division window. First – calcium must be readily available in soil solution in the "tuber root zone". Second – the stolon and the tuber root hairs must be operating at maximum efficiency to pull up as much calcium as possible. This is where the Sysstem-Ready "Root Flush Technology" works to maximize calcium uptake. Manganese and zinc are key to root growth and health. As a true phosphite solution Sysstem-Ready™ delivers these nutrients more effectively to the roots than other foliar micronutrient formulations. Second, the phosphite formulation enhances root exudates that directly feed beneficial microorganisms like mycorrhizae and lead to increased root mass and nutrient foraging capability. Sysstem-Ready ™ is designed to maximize root growth, health, efficiency and calcium uptake. Because potassium is so mobile in the plant and because it moves quicker than other nutrients it can block calcium incorporation into the cell wall during tuber cell division. The use of highly mobile potassium phosphite during cell division is antagonistic to calcium uptake into the tuber leading to lower tuber calcium levels at harvest, lower specific gravity and potential storage problems. In the tuber analysis to the left, a standard potassium phosphite foliar was compared against Agro-K's zinc phosphite. Tuber analysis demonstrates that foliar applying potassium during cell division resulted in lower calcium levels than the growers standard practice that used no foliar potassium of any kind. Agro-K's treatment dramatically increased tuber calcium and zinc levels. Science Driven Nutrition © 2017 Agro-K Corporation. Sysstem is a trademark of Agro-K Corporation. Fastest Penetration and Uptake Fastest Penetration and Uptake Fastest Penetration and Uptake Fastest Penetration and Uptake Fastest Penetration and Uptake Fastest Penetration and Uptake Fastest Penetration and Uptake Fastest Penetration and Uptake Fastest Penetration and Uptake Fastest Penetration and Uptake Systemic Nutrition Systemic Nutrition Systemic Nutrition Systemic Nutrition Systemic Nutrition Systemic Nutrition Systemic Nutrition Systemic Nutrition Systemic Nutrition Systemic Nutrition Root Flush Technology Root Flush Technology Root Flush Technology Root Flush Technology Root Flush Technology ™ Root Flush Technology Root Flush Technology ™ Root Flush Technology Root Flush Technology Root Flush Technology Root Flush Technology Root Flush Technology ™ Root Flush Technology Root Flush Technology ™ Root Flush Technology Root Flush Technology ™ Root Flush Technology Root Flush Technology Root Flush Technology Root Flush Technology ™ Root Flush Technology Root Flush Technology For more information on Sysstem-Ready ® , contact Agro-K or an authorized dealer today. Dr. Jeff Miller – University of Idaho -2006 Tuber Mineral Analysis Nutrient: UTC SYSSTEM-ZN Potassium Phosphite Nutrient Levels Sysstem ZN vs UTC Nutrient Levels Potassium Phosphite vs. UTC Phosphorus 68.60 74.33 73.74 8.3% 7.5% Zinc 0.35 0.43 0.34 22.9% -2.8% Calcium 9.12 11.41 7.94 25.0% -12.9%

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