Introduction
Potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) is one of the most important crops of Nepal. It is used as a major vegetable in Terai and mid-hills and as a staple food in the high hills and mountains. According to the recent statistics (ABPSD, 2010), potato ranks fifth in area (185,342 ha), second in production (25,17,696 tons) and first in productivity (13.58 t/ha) among the major food crops grown in Nepal,. Due to its potentiality and wider adaptability to grow year round in the country, its importance is ever increasing.
The systematic research and development on potato was initiated in 1972 after the establishment of National Potato Development Programme (NPDP) under Ministry of Agriculture. In 1988, this programme was involved in potato research, development and source seed production under the National Agricultural Research and Service Centre (NARSC). With the establishment of Nepal Agricultural Research Council (NARC) in 1991, National Potato Research Programme was established as one of the 15 national commodity research programmes. Since then, this program has been mandated for conducting research on potato crop and producing its source seeds.
Goal
To improve the livelihoods of Nepalese farmers through potato cultivation.
Objectives
- To develop appropriate technologies to increase the production and productivity of potatoes for different agro-ecological zones of the country,
- To identify and solve production constraints of seed and ware potatoes through on-station and farmer’s participatory multi-location on-farm research,
To produce high quality healthy source seed of released/recommended potato varieties,
To establish coordination with potato stakeholders in the country,
Develop and strengthen linkages between National and international potato research and development related organizations.
Major research activities
1. Variety improvement
- Improve and develop high yielding potato varieties with resistance to major diseases and insect pest for different agro-climatic zones of the country.
2. True potato seed (TPS) research
- Selection of TPS progenies with resistance to late blight disease,
- Development of TPS varieties and technologies for potato production.
3. Soil fertility and agro-techniques
- Development of sustainable soil management technologies and appropriate agro-techniques in cropping systems of different agro-climatic zones to increase potato production.
4. Disease management
- Survey, identification and management of major potato diseases such as late blight, black scurf, wart, scabs and virus diseases.
5. Insect pest management
- Survey, identification and management of major potato insect pests such as aphids, potato tuber moth (PTM), leaf minor fly, white grub and red ants in collaboration with Entomology Division.
6. Organic potato production
- Evaluation of organic potato production practices in the hills of Nepal.
7. Weed management
- Evaluation of different weed management practices and making recommendations to reduce cost of cultivation.
8. Seed potato production and research
- Sustainability studies for the production of disease-free pre-basic seed (PBS) through tissue culture technology.
9. Post-harvest technology
- Development of appropriate handling, storage and processing technologies for value addition on potato.
10. Socio-economic research
- Development of import substitution and export promotion technologies based on the socio-economic status of the farmers in collaboration with Socio-economic and Policy Research Division, NARC
Major achievements
1. To date, the following potato varieties have been released for different agro-climatic conditions:
| Released Varieties | Agro- climatic zones |
| Kufri Jyoti | High and mid hills |
| Kufri Sindhuri | Terai and inner Terai |
| Desiree | Hills and Terai |
| Janak Dev | High and mid hills |
| Khumal Rato-2 | Terai and inner Terai |
| Khumal Seto-1 | High and mid hills |
| Khumal Laxmi | Terai to high hills |
| IPY 8 | Terai to mid hills |
In addition, varieties Cardinal, NPI-106, BR 63/65 and some local selections like Tharu Local, Kathmandu Local, Sarkari Seto, Syangdorje and Jumli Local have also been recommended for commercial cultivation. Clones L 235-4 and CIP 389746.2 are under the process of release.
2. In addition to above mentioned varieties, some TPS hybrids HPS II/67, LT-8 x TPS-13, LT-8 x TPS 67 and Atzimba x TPS 67 are also found promising for the cultivation.
3. Seed tuber treatment and three times foliar spray of Asuro (Justicia adhatoda) and EM mixed suspension at 10 days interval has been found effective for increasing yield.
4. Black plastic and paddy straw mulching increase yield under less irrigated and moisture stress condition.
5. Improved technologies for potato production (seed selection, planting methods, irrigation methods, fertilizer
application, plant protection, seed production and storage) have been developed and recommended.
6. Integrated disease and pest management technologies have been recommended to minimize the losses due to major diseases (late blight, bacterial wilt, and black scurf) and insect pests.
7. Screen house is more cost effective than glass house for sustainable pre-basic seed production under Kathmandu valley conditions.
8. Potato viruses (PLRV, PVX, PVY, PVS, PVA and PVM) detection and cleaning facilities available in NPRP tissue culture laboratory.
9. A significant number (100-200 thousands) of high quality PBS potatoes are produced through tissue culture technology and distributed to the seed growers through Department of Agriculture every year.
10. Black polythene mulching and Metribuzin (pre-emergence herbicide) are effective for controlling weeds in potato crop under mid hill conditions.
11. Eight potato cultivars (Cardinal, NPI-106, Khumal Laxmi and IPY – 8) have been cleaned for virus free seeds of potatoes. More than 100 local and exotic germplasm are maintained in-vitro for research and production purpose.
12. Potato genotypes, PRP 25861.1, Yagana, L-235.4, HPS II/67, HPS 7/67, BSU-PO3, K. Chipsona-2 and Khumal Seto-1 were found promising for higher yield and chips making.
13. Widely adopted potato variety ‘Kufri Jyoti’ showed the highest tuber yield (30.2t/ha) by applying 150 kg N and 60 kg K2O5/ha at Hattiban Farm.
Researchers
- Mr. Yuba Raj Bhusal, Senior Scientist (S-4)/Coordinator
- Mr. Sanjeeb Gautam, Scientist
- Mrs. Neeru Tripathi, Technical Officer
- Ms. Bihani Thapa, Technical Officer
- Ms. Anuja Rijal, Technical Officer
- Ms. Neela Paudel, Technical Officer
Contact Address
Nepal Agricultural Research Council
National Potato Research Program
Khumaltar, Lalitpur
P.O. Box 246, Kathmandu, Nepal
Phone: 977-1-5522114
E-mail: prp@narc.gov.np
Website: www.narc.gov.np