POTATO GROWING.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 20006, 25 January 1927, Page 4

POTATO GROWING.

“DIPPING” THE SEED SETS. TESTS WITH NITRATE OF SODA. Amongst the many experiments being made in the production of potatoes at the experimental farm of the Department of Agriculture at Millbrook (Victoria) is one of “dipping” the seed sets in different solutions before planting, with the object of ascertaining what effect the treatment has on the crops. This has not been attempted before, and the results obtained should be most interesting and instructive to potato growers. The potato expert (Mr J T. Ramsay) initiated and supervised the tests, and, although the planting was carried out only two months ago, there are indications from the tops of the plants that certain results have been achieved. One plot contains seed which was immersed in a 10 -»er cent, solution of nitrate of soda, one of the quickest-growing agencies known, before planting. Another lot was immersed in a 5 per cent, solution, and a third lot was not treated at all. There appears to be very little difference at present in the plots which were treated, and even at this early stage both are showing vigorous growth, and are decidedly more promising than the plot which was not treated. The conclusion arrived at is that the dipping of the seed in the nitrate of soda solution befeire planting improved the growth appreciably, though it yet remains to be seen whether the return is sufficient to warrant the treatment, which is not costly. This will be ascertained when the potatoes are dug shortly. Another experiment tried was treating the seed with copper carbonate, which has proved so efficacious in the pickling of wheat to minimise the loss from smuts. For the purposes of comparison untreated seed was also planted under similar conditions. At present the indications are that the copper carbonate has had a somewhat deleterious effect on the germination of the seed. Whether results have been obtained in the direction of a cleaner parcel of tubers being produced will be ascertained when the potatoes are dug. It will be possible then to determine whether or not the treatment may be satisfactory under certain climatic conditions. It is thought by the expert that the fact that the treatment appears to have kept back the growth at this early stage might be countei'balanced by the production of potatoes free from disease. At present, Mr Ramsay considers that the plots treated with the nitrate of soda immersion seem likely to give results of some value to potato growers. One result apparent is that the plants have been given a better “kick off” than those which were not treated. Past experiments have proved that the application of about 841 b of nitrate of soda to the acre alter the colour of a crop in two days. The reason is that it is highly soluble, and therefore quick acting.