Potatoes (Solanum tuberosum L.

) are produced on approximately 20,000

acres each year in eastern North Carolina. Most of these soils are very
poorly drained mucks, silt loams, and sandy loams with artificial drainage
using a network of field ditches and canals.
Identifying Nutrient Needs
Soil Testing for Lime, P, K, Mg, and
Micronutrients. Maintaining high yield
potential on these soils requires fertilizing
and liming based on soil test results. (See
SoilFacts: Careful Soil Sampling, the Key to
Reliable Soil Test Information; and
SoilFacts: Soil Sampling for Precision
Farming Systems.) Soil testing services are
free to North Carolina farmers at the North
Carolina Department of Agriculture &
Consumer Services Agronomic Division
Laboratory. Because the potato is one of our
earliest-planted crops (February to March),
and because the public laboratory turnaround
time is slower in the winter, potato producers
should submit soil samples in October or
November to have results in time. Producers
who submit samples to private laboratories
for faster analysis can interpret their results
more easily if they request a Mehlich-3
extractant and specify the appropriate target
pH (mineral soil: 6.0, mineral-organic soil:
5.5, organic soil: 5.0).
Diagnostic Plant Tissue Analysis and
Problem Soil Sampling. Plant tissue
analysis can be used to evaluate the nutrient
status of potatoes. Corrective measures are
most likely to be practical if the problems are
nitrogen or micronutrient deficiencies
detected by early bloom. Even if plant tissue
data are obtained too late to apply corrective
measures to the current crop, they will help
in deciding whether to adjust the current
fertilizer management strategy for future
crops. Table 1 shows nutrient sufficiency
ranges, which are based on research trials
conducted at various locations in the U.S. and
around the world. They appear reasonable
based on field observations and problem
samples, but they might not adequately reflect
all North Carolina conditions.
Soil pH and Liming
Failure to maintain a desirable soil pH
damages roots and makes nutrients and water
less available to plants. This common problem
can be avoided by sampling the soil carefully
every 2 to 3 years, and by liming as needed
with a calibrated spreader truck.
SoilFacts
Distributed in furtherance of the
Acts of Congress of May 8 and
June 30, 1914. North Carolina
State University and North
Carolina A&T State University
commit themselves to positive
action to secure equal
opportunity regardless of race,
color, creed, national origin,
religion, sex, age, or disability.
In addition, the two Universities
welcome all persons without
regard to sexual orientation.
North Carolina State University,
North Carolina A&T State
University, U.S. Department of
Agriculture, and local
governments cooperating.
Soil Fertility Management for Irish Potato
Production in Eastern North Carolina
Figure 1. Irish potatoes are grown on
approximately 20,000 acres each year in east-
ern North Carolina.
SoilFacts
2
Fertilizer Recommendations
Nitrogen (N) Management. The
recommended nitrogen rate for loams,
silt loams, and organic soils is 100 to
150 pounds per acre (all at planting).
On sandier soils (sandy loams and
loamy sands), 150 pounds of N per
acre are recommended, split between
50 pounds of N per acre at planting
and 100 pounds of N per acre at
sidedress. Responses to N in several
tests suggest that rates as low as 50 to
100 pounds per acre are adequate for
optimum yields (Figure 2). One study
in Virginia found that 50 pounds of N
per acre were sufficient for 380
hundredweight per acre yields of
irrigated Superior potatoes. Our
recommendation is higher, 100 to 150
pounds of N per acre instead of 50 to
100 pounds of N per acre, because
residual N levels cannot be accurately
measured and they vary widely
depending on rotational crops,
weather, and soil type. Interestingly,
excess N might limit the ability of
potato plants to compensate for
reduced plant density. The 1997
Tidewater Research Station test
(Plymouth, N.C.) found that Atlantic
seedpieces spaced 12 inches apart
yielded less than seedpieces spaced 9
inches apart, except at the lower N
rates (50 and 100 pounds of N per
acre) (Figure 2). High N rates are
known to delay tuber initiation,
perhaps preventing plants from
developing into the extra soil volume
available at reduced densities.
Macronutrient Management. Crops
are nourished by residual soil nutri-
ents and by fertilizer. A soil test
measures residual soil nutrient levels
and uses calibration research to
recommend fertilizer rates. Plants
typically respond favorably to the
addition of a specific fertilizer
nutrient only up to a certain nutrient
availability level (Figure 3). Addi-
tional fertilizer beyond this point is
not beneficial and can even harm
plant growth if concentrations are in
the excess range.
Although phosphorus (P) and potas-
sium (K) are essential plant nutrients,
residual soil levels of both are high in
many North Carolina fields. Several
field tests have shown a lack of
response to fertilizer P and K when
residual soil test levels were high
(Figures 4a, 4b).
Table 1. Nutrient sufficiency ranges and toxicity thresholds for potato leaf, petiole, and tuber
tissues summarized from numerous references, production regions, and potato varieties.

Nutrient
Leaf
1

(early bloom)
Leaf
1

(late)
Petiole
(early bloom)
Tuber
(maturity)
N (%) 3.5-4.5, toxic >6.5 3.0-4.0 >1.5 (nitrate-N) 1.2-1.8
P (%) 0.25-0.6, toxic >1.25 0.2-0.4 0.3-0.5 0.20-0.24
K (%) 3.5-5.0, toxic >6.5 4.0-8.0 5.1-7.0 1.9-2.1
Ca (%) 0.6-2.0 1.0-2.5 0.6-2.5 >0.057
Mg (%) 0.3-0.6 0.3-0.6 0.5-0.8 0.11-0.13
S (%) 0.2-0.5 0.2-0.5 0.2-0.5 0.11-0.17
B (ppm) 25-50, toxic >55 25-50 15-39
Fe (ppm) 40-200, toxic >500 40-150 70-250
Mn (ppm) 40-200, toxic >400 25-200 20-200
Cu (ppm) 5-20, toxic >50 5-20 6-30
Zn (ppm) 25-60, toxic >150 25-50 20-70, toxic >150
1
Whole leaves (blade + petiole) of uppermost mature leaf, usually fourth leaf from tip.
References: Walworth and Muniz, 1993; Maynard and Hochmuth, 1997; Wichmann; Plank, 1989.
'97
Tidewater
Station
'96, Tidewater Station
12" spacing
9" spacing
'97, Pamlico
'96
Pasquotank
0 100 200
Fertilizer N (lb N/acre)
0
100
200
300
M
a
r
k
e
t
a
b
l
e

T
u
b
e
r

Y
i
e
l
d
(
c
w
t
/
a
c
r
e
)
Figure 2. Tuber yield response to N in
field experiments. For the 1997 Tidewa-
ter Research Station (Plymouth, N.C.)
data, yields are reported for different
seedpiece spacing and N rates. Error
bars denote significant yield differences
within an experiment at the 95 percent
confidence level.
Figure 3. Typical response curve of
crops to nutrient supply levels.
Likely to respond
to fertilizer
Not likely to respond to fertilizer
D
e
f
i
c
i
e
n
t
L
o
w
S
u
f
f
i
c
i
e
n
t
H
i
g
h
E
x
c
e
s
s
Typical Nutrient Response Curve
0 50 1 00 1 50 200
Increasing Nutrient Availability
0
20
40
60
80
100
Y
i
e
l
d

(
%

o
f

m
a
x
i
m
u
m
)Likely to respond
to fertilizer
Not likely to respond to fertilizer
Likely to respond
to fertilizer
Not likely to respond to fertilizer
D
e
f
i
c
i
e
n
t
L
o
w
S
u
f
f
i
c
i
e
n
t
H
i
g
h
E
x
c
e
s
s
Typical Nutrient Response Curve
0 50 1 00 1 50 200
Increasing Nutrient Availability
0
20
40
60
80
100
Y
i
e
l
d

(
%

o
f

m
a
x
i
m
u
m
)
Soil Fertility Management for Irish Potato Production in Eastern North Carolina
3
Low rates of P in a starter band may
still stimulate growth because soils
are usually cold and wet when
potatoes are planted, reducing root
exploration for P. Recent price
surveys suggest 10 gallons per acre of
10-34-0 will cost approximately $12
per acre for material, in addition to
any application costs or hardware
upgrades. Starter bands should be
placed at least 2 inches to the side and
2 inches below seedpieces to avoid
damaging tubers and sprouts. Fertil-
izer K is highly soluble and should
not be applied in bands to avoid salt
stress problems.
Calcium and magnesium levels are
most easily maintained by liming
according to soil test recommenda-
tions. There is a soil test for sulfur
(S), but this element often leaches to
subsoils, so test results must be
interpreted cautiously. Adequate S
levels might be available to plants in a
shallow subsoil layer even if surface
soil tests show low levels. This is
especially true of soils with a thin,
sandy surface and an underlying clay
horizon within 6 to 12 inches of the
surface. No routine application of S is
recommended for potatoes, as
sufficient S is often supplied residu-
ally or through breakdown of organic
matter.
Figure 4a. Potato response to P fertilizer
on commercial fields with high residual
P levels. Letters denote significant yield
differences within an experiment at the
95 percent confidence level.
Fertilizer P (lb P
2
O
5
/acre)
b'
a
c'
a
a'
a
Pamlico Co., '96
P index = 289
Pasquotank Co., '97
P index = 405
0 75 150
0
100
200
300
400
500
T
u
b
e
r

Y
i
e
l
d

(
c
w
t
/
a
c
r
e
)
Fertilizer P (lb P
2
O
5
/acre)
b'
a
c'
a
a'
a
Pamlico Co., '96
P index = 289
Pasquotank Co., '97
P index = 405
0 75 150
0
100
200
300
400
500
T
u
b
e
r

Y
i
e
l
d

(
c
w
t
/
a
c
r
e
)
a'
a
a'
a
a'
a
Pamlico Co., '96
K index = 139
Pasquotank Co., '97
K index = 118
2
0
100
200
300
400
500
T
u
b
e
r

Y
i
e
l
d

(
c
w
t
/
a
c
r
e
)
0 75 150
Fertilizer K (lb K O/acre)
Figure 4b. Potato response to K fertilizer
on commercial fields with high residual K
levels. Letters denote significant yield dif-
ferences within an experiment at the 95
percent confidence level.
Micronutrient Management. Soil
test recommendations also can be
used to prescribe any manganese
(Mn), zinc (Zn), and copper (Cu)
applications. Currently, there is no
soil test for boron (B) in North
Carolina. Plant tissue analysis at early
bloom can detect micronutrient
deficiencies in time for corrective
foliar applications. Micronutrients
should be applied only as needed to
avoid toxicity and unnecessary costs.
Note that the recommended rates
depend on the nutrient form and
application method (Table 2).
Economic Considerations of
Different Fertilizer
Management Strategies
Several strategies are available for
soil fertility management (Table 3).
Although many farmers apply
fertilizer based on standard rates
(alternative a) or crop removal
(alternative b), these fail to account
for residual soil nutrients, thus adding
unnecessary expenses. Soil testing
(alternative c) should be the basis for
any soil fertility management pro-
gram. This can correct soil pH and
nutrient deficiency problems before
the crop is planted. In addition,
Table 2. Common micronutrient sources and recommendations to correct nutrient deficiencies.
(This table is for general information purposes only and does not imply that numerous other products not listed are
less suitable. Apply micronutrients only as needed to avoid toxicity.)

Element

Source
Concentration
(% by weight)
Rate (pounds of element per acre)
Broadcast Banded Foliar
Boron (B) Borax 0.8 0.2
Solubor 20 0.8 0.2
Sodium tetraborate 14-20 0.8
Organic complex B+N 3 0.2
Copper (Cu) Cu sulfate
1
25-35 2-6
2
1-3
2
0.25 (add lime)
Cu oxide 75 2-6
2
1-3
2

Cu chelate 9-13 2-6
2
1-3
2
0.25
Manganese (Mn) Mn sulfate 23-28 10 3 0.5
Mn oxide 40-68 10 3
Mn chelate 5-12 10 3 0.5
Zinc (Zn) Zn sulfate
1
23-55 6 3 0.5 (add lime)
Zn oxide
3
50-80 6 (fine) 3 (fine)
Zn chelate 9-14 6 3 0.5
1
For foliar applications of Cu and Zn sulfates, dissolve lime in the solution to neutralize acidity and avoid leaf burn.

2
If broadcasting Cu, apply 2 lb/ac to mineral soils, 4 lb/ac for mineral-organic soils, and 6 lb/ac for organic soils.
For banded applications, apply half as much.
3
Zinc oxide must be finely ground to be effective.
SoilFacts
4
residual nutrient levels can be as-
sessed. If nutritional problems are
suspected after planting, soil testing
and plant tissue analysis (alternative
d) can be used as diagnostic tools.
Excess fertilizer applications are
expensive and do not increase returns.
Our calculations show the potential
for many farmers to save more than
$60 per acre by switching from the
specified standard rate to a soil test-
based management strategy.
Special Topics
Organic Soils. Organic soils, where
potatoes are frequently planted, have
naturally low pH and high cation
exchange capacity (CEC) and may
have an abundance of buried logs
near the surface. They require a lot of
lime to raise soil pH, and a lot of
labor to remove logs and reshape the
land. Due to these costs, many
organic soils have received only
shallow tillage in the past, so subsoil
acidity is a common limitation.
Incorporating lime by tillage is
important in developing a productive
root zone in these soils. Producers
should scout their fields periodically
to see whether root development is
limited. Deeper tillage should be
considered if pH is below the target
level in the shallow subsoil (4 to 8
inches deep), if a hard pan can be felt
at this depth, and if an inspection of
plant roots suggests plants do not
have access to at least an 8-inch root
zone. Since deeper tillage mixes the
more acidic subsoil into the rooting
zone, additional lime will be required.
Excess Fertilizer Salts. Greenhouse
trials and diagnosis of problems in
the field have documented concerns
with excess fertilizer salts. Fertilizing
at rates beyond recommendations can
result in excess salts, which depress
shoot emergence and growth (Figure
5a). Delayed development due to salt
stress can decrease the plants ability
to cope with other common stresses,
such as diseases, weeds, insects, and
air pollution. The productivity of
rotational crops such as soybean and
wheat can even be diminished due to
excess residual fertilizer salts from
potatoes. Grain sorghum is a rela-
tively salt-tolerant crop that can be
grown after potato with no additional
P or K, and a 50 percent reduction in
the normal N fertilizer rate (see Note
3 in Crop Fertilization Based on
North Carolina Soil Tests). Our
survey of commercial potato fields in
North Carolina found numerous cases
of poor potato stands (Figure 5b) and
elevated soil P, K, and soluble salt
levels, which we attribute to fertilizer
applications exceeding soil test
recommendations and crop removal
rates (Table 4).
Table 3. Soil fertility management strategies.
Strategy Comments Cost ($/ac)
1

a. Standard rate: commonly 1000
pounds of 17-17-17 per acre
(170 lb N, 170 lb P2O5, 170 lb
K2O)
Fails to account for residual soil
nutrients, causes greater expense
than needed, can result in excess
fertilizer salts.
$84.34
b. Crop-removal-based rate: for
300 hundredweight per acre apply
90 lb N, 48 lb P2O5, 159 lb K2O
per acre
Supplies nutrients in needed ratio,
but fails to account for residual soil
nutrients, which might be sufficient
for crop needs.
$40.44
c. Soil-test-based rate Considers residual soil nutrients,
nutrient response curves, soil pH.
Avoids excess fertilizer expense.
Depends on needs:
100 lb N, 0 lb P2O5, 60 lb K2O/ac: $34.13
100 lb N, 0 lb P2O5, 0 lb K2O/ac: $21.70
d. Soil testing and plant tissue
sampling
Verifies quality of soil test
recommendations and confirms
status of nitrogen, sulfur, and
boron.
Depends on needs

1
Costs include materials and application, and are based on a survey of local fertilizer prices (17-17-17: $161/ton; 0-0-60:
$149/ton; 30% N solution: $130/ton; application: $5/ac).

b'
b'
a'
c'
a
a
ab
b
Shoot Emergence
Shoot Weight
0 20 40 60 80 100
Extractable Soluble Salts
(NCDA index value)
0.0
0.5
1.0
1.5
S
h
o
o
t

E
m
e
r
g
e
n
c
e



(
n
u
m
b
e
r
/
p
l
a
n
t
)
0.0
0.2
0.4
0.6
0.8
1.0
T
o
t
a
l

S
h
o
o
t

W
e
i
g
h
t

(
g
/
p
l
a
n
t
)
Figure 5a. Inhibitory effects of excess
fertilizer salt on emergence and early
development of potatoes in the green-
house. Letters denote significant
differences at the 95 percent confidence
level.
Figure 5b. Poor stands are common in
North Carolina potato fields.
Soil Fertility Management for Irish Potato Production in Eastern North Carolina
5
Excess Fertilizer and Premature
Vine Decline. The use of high rates
of banded fertilizers is one of many
potential causes of premature vine
decline of potato plants (Figure 6,
Table 5). In the case illustrated, an
estimated 20 percent yield reduction
was associated with soils that had
high soluble salt levels in the top 4
inches. This field had received a
banded application of 180 pounds of
N, 180 pounds of P
2
O
5
, and 180
pounds of K
2
O per acre with no
additional tillage to incorporate the
fertilizer throughout the rooting zone.
Figure 6. Potato premature vine decline
(early dying).
Figure 7a. Rhizoctonia stem
canker of Irish potato.
Figure 7b. Rhizoctonia stem canker
incidence increased as the fertilizer N
rate increased. Letters denote signifi-
cant differences within an experiment at
the 95 percent confidence level.
b'
ab'
ab'
a'
a a
a
a
Pasquotank Co.,
'96
Tidewater Research
Station, '96
0
20
40
60
80
R
h
i
z
o
c
t
o
n
i
a

S
t
e
m

C
a
n
k
e
r









I
n
c
i
d
e
n
c
e

(
%
)
120 150 180 90
Fertilizer N (lb N/acre)
Summary
Testing soils and applying recom-
mended rates of lime and fertilizer are
the first steps to obtaining yield
potentials and reducing risk of salt
damage. Broadcasting most fertilizer,
and limiting band applications to low
rates of N-P starter solution, further
reduces salinity. If residual fertilizer is
found to be highly concentrated in a
shallow topsoil layer, deep tillage can
reduce the potential for salt damage to
sensitive rotational crops. Soil fertility
maintenance based on soil testing and
plant analysis is profitable because it
is the key to high yields and good
tuber quality. It also reduces unneces-
sary fertilizer expenses and problems
with excess nutrients.
Excess Nitrogen and Disease
Susceptibility. Excess fertilizer N can
favor diseases such as Rhizoctonia
stem canker (Figures 7a, 7b) and
Erwinia soft rot, reduce tuber specific
gravity and starch content, and
degrade flavor.
Table 4. Soil test results from a survey of 46 eastern North Carolina commercial Irish potato fields.
Calibration research shows that response to additional fertilizer P or K is unlikely if the soil test P or
K index is >50.

Soil test parameter

Mean index value
Samples with index
above 50 (%)
Samples with index
above 100 (%)
P 312 100 96
K 162 100 80
Soluble salts 62 66 6

Table 5. Soil test results from a field with premature vine decline (early
dying) in Pasquotank County in 1997. Fertilizer (180 lb N-180 lb P
2
O
5
-180
lb K
2
O per acre) applied in a shallow subsurface band led to high
soluble salt levels in the surface soil layer.
Field area Soil sample depth P index Soluble salts index
0-4 429 111 Affected
4-8 418 12
0-4 352 65 Normal
4-8 287 24

SoilFacts
2004 North Carolina State University
Published by
NORTH CAROLINA COOPERATIVE EXTENSION
12/03BS AGW-439-49
E03-42804
References
Crozier, C. R., and R. W. Heiniger.
1998. SoilFacts: Soil Sampling for
Precision Farming Systems. North
Carolina Cooperative Extension
Service Publication AG-439-36.
NC State University, Raleigh, N.C.
http://www.soil.ncsu.edu/publica-
tions/Soilfacts/AG-439-36/
AG-439-36.pdf
Cubeta, M. A., B. R. Cody, and P. C.
Ceresini. 1998. Rhizoctonia
disease of potato. Vegetable
Disease Information Note No. 26,
Department of Plant Pathology,
NC State University, Raleigh, N.C.
http://www.ces.ncsu.edu/
plymouth/pubs/scurf.html
Cubeta, M. A., N. G. Creamer, C. R.
Crozier, D. Monks, and K. A.
Sorensen. 1996. Potato Health
Management in North Carolina.
Vegetable Disease Information
Note No. 23, Department of Plant
Pathology, NC State University,
Raleigh, N.C. http://
www.ces.ncsu.edu/plymouth/pubs/
potatoHealth.html
Cubeta, M. A., N. G. Creamer, C. R.
Crozier, D. Monks, and K. A.
Sorensen. 1996. Potato Vine
Premature Decline in North
Carolina: Causes and Manage-
ment. Vegetable Disease
Information Note No. 24, Depart-
ment of Plant Pathology, NC State
University, Raleigh, N.C. http://
www.ces.ncsu.edu/plymouth/pubs/
potatoVine.html
Maynard, D. N., and G. J. Hochmuth.
1997. Knotts Handbook for
Vegetable Growers, 4
th
ed. John
Wiley & Sons, Inc., New York.
Osmond, D.L., C.R. Crozier, and
D.H. Hardy. 1997. SoilFacts:
Careful Soil Sampling-the Key to
Reliable Soil Test Information.
North Carolina Cooperative
Extension Service Publication AG-
439-30. NC State University,
Raleigh, N.C. http://www.soil.
ncsu.edu/publications/Soilfacts/
AG-439-30/
Plank, C. O. 1989. Plant Analysis
Handbook for Georgia. University
of Georgia Cooperative Extension
Service, Athens, Ga.
Sanders, D. C. (ed.). 2002. Vegetable
Crop Guidelines for the Southeast-
ern U.S.: 2002-2003. North
Carolina Vegetable Growers
Association, Raleigh, N.C., and
Helena Chemical Co., Memphis,
Tenn.
Tucker, M. R., J. K. Messick, and
C. C. Carter. 1997. Crop Fertiliza-
tion Based on North Carolina Soil
Tests, Agronomic Division Circu-
lar No. 1. North Carolina
Department of Agriculture and
Consumer Services, Agronomic
Division, Raleigh, N.C. http://
www.ncagr.com/agronomi/
obook.htm
Walworth, J. L., and J. E. Muniz.
1993. A compendium of tissue
nutrient concentrations for field-
grown potatoes. American Potato
Journal 70:579-589.
Wichmann, W. (undated). World
Fertilizer Use Manual. Interna-
tional Fertilizer Industry
Association. http://www.fertilizer.
org/ifa/
Prepared by
Carl R. Crozier, Associate Professor and Extension Soil Science Specialist
Nancy G. Creamer, Associate Professor and Extension Horticultural Science Specialist
Marc A. Cubeta, Associate Professor of Plant Pathology