Potato types

There is a wide range of different types of potato with some 85 genera and nearly 3000 species worldwide.

Potato Cultivars

Although most cultivars are white or yellow fleshed and have white skins, there are a wide range of colour variations. Potatoes are largely cool season crops, produced under optimal average temperatures that range from 10-20°C.

The tubers are susceptible to freezing and need to be lifted prior to the onset of autumn or winter frosts. In most regions, yields are best when seed is planted shortly after the last frost. This ensures a long growing season. In areas with no risk of frost, potatoes can be cropped all year round.

The information on this website concentrates upon the ‘white potato’ – Solanum tuberosum – which is the most widely grown potato.

Potato Varieties

Potato varieties are either determinate or indeterminate in nature. Indeterminate varieties will carry on growing for longer and, in some growth environments, will need some form of management to stop leaf and stem growth, prior to harvesting.

Desiccation or crop haulm destruction in indeterminate varieties should be timed to maximize yield and tuber quality characteristics.

Recommended Yara fertilisers for potatoes

YaraMila ACTYVA S

15.6-14.6-14.6+ 6.5 SO3 - Granular fertiliser often used for grassland, winter cereals and oilseed rape to supply phosphate and potash together with nitrogen and sulphur.

YaraLiva TROPICOTE

15.5% N + 26.3% CaO - Granular calcium nitrate fertiliser for field application to a wide range of crops.

YaraMila MAINCROP

14-13.6-20.6 - Compound granular fertiliser ideal for potato crops where sulphur is not required.

YaraMila COMPLEX

12-11-18 + 20% SO3 - Prilled NPK fertiliser which also contains magnesium and sulphur as well as micronutrients ideal for use on a wide range of arable and horticultural crops.

YaraVita MANTRAC PRO

A flowable liquid micronutrient fertiliser containing 500 g/l of manganese for application as a foliar spray or seed treatment to a wide range of crops.

YaraVita MAGPHOS K

A liquid fertiliser containing a high concentration of phosphate together with potash and magnesium for foliar application to potatoes and other crops.

YaraVita MAGFLO 300

A flowable liquid fertiliser containing 300 g/l magnesium for foliar application to cereals and potatoes or treat magnesium deficiency in a wide range of crops.

YaraVita CROPLIFT PRO

A foliar fertiliser containing multiple nutrients and micronutrients for foliar application to a wide range of crops during times of stress or periods of rapid growth.

See all fertiliser choices

How to influence potato quality

There are three main criteria which define the quality of potato: tuber quality, skin finish and storage and cooking quality. A balanced crop nutrition program is important to help manage all of these criteria.

Potato market requirements

Generally, it is no longer possible to plant a potato crop and aim for a general market. Growers now have to adapt their agronomic management to produce a high yielding crop that fulfills the specific quality requirements of the marketplace.

See all potato nutrition articles

Potato agronomy advice

Establishing potatoes successfully

As with any other crop, good nutrition is key to securing a healthy potato crop, one that will return good yield and high quality and ultimately achieve a better profit margin for you.

Is your potato quality being let down by a lack of calcium?

Calcium is a vital nutrient for potatoes and most aspects of tuber quality can be improved by having a sufficient supply of calcium during growth.

Biotrac helps combat stress in potatoes

There are many types of biostimulants on the market, each with different purposes. Yara's biostimulant products focus on is enhancing tolerance to abiotic stresses such as extreme temperatures or drought. They contain bioactive components that help the plant mitigate the effects of stress.

See all agronomy advice

How to make better informed nutrient decisions

Our collection of tools help you to make better nutrient decisions in making the right fertiliser choice and applying the right amount of nutrients at the right time and in the right place so that the crop yield and quality can be maximised whilst still keeping costs in check, avoiding over-fertilisation and protecting the environment.