Why are the potatoes empty and brown or black inside: causes of hollowness, as well as prevention of the occurrence of such a disease

Emptiness in potatoes is hollowness

We try not to prepare large potatoes for the winter, fearing that they will be empty inside, that is, with a hole.
Although it looks very good in appearance, and it is convenient to use such tubers. After all, it happens that you have prepared potatoes for the winter and everything seems to be fine, you bought or grew them, dug up the potatoes, the tubers are large and good, but when you cut them, there is a hole inside the tuber - emptiness. What are these voids in potatoes? Potato hollowness is the name given to such holes and voids in potatoes. It’s not damage or disease, or even pests that ate these holes in the potatoes. The hollowness of potatoes does not harm health when consuming such tubers, but leads to losses, because sometimes most of the tuber has to be cut off.

Hollowness of potatoes most often occurs in large tuber potato varieties. These varieties include potatoes: Lyubimets, Gatchinsky, Temp, Stolovy 19.

Large potato tubers grow not only from varieties predisposed to this, but also for other reasons, mainly due to agricultural technology, with abundant application of fertilizers causing the growth of tubers. Large potato tubers grown on fertile soil enriched with organic fertilizers and compost are susceptible to hollowing; high soil moisture is also important.

The hollowness of potato tubers reduces its keeping quality, makes it inconvenient for culinary processing and leads to large losses. Planted large potatoes with signs of hollowness are often susceptible to rotting, which develops inside the tuber. The walls of the tuber become thin, and the tuber becomes vulnerable to mechanical damage during transportation. Microorganisms penetrate into the damage, causing decay and, as a result, rotting of the potato tuber. Microorganisms can get into the voids in the tubers and through the passages if the potatoes are affected by the dangerous wireworm pest.

The cause of hollowness in potatoes and how to eliminate it

Compliance with agricultural technology will help to grow healthy tubers, even large ones, without damage from hollowness.

The reasons for the formation of voids in tubers are the uneven development of tops and tubers. Potato tops lag behind in growth, and tubers increase mass quickly, but the tubers do not have enough nutrients and oxygen, which leads to poor development of tissues inside the tuber, metabolic processes are disrupted in it, starch is not formed and hollow voids are formed in the tubers.

It is necessary to loosen the row spacing after watering and rain. During the period of tuber formation, hill up potato bushes.

Excess organic matter in the soil, frequent application of organic fertilizers, oversaturates the soil with nitrogen and minerals; when planting potatoes, organic matter should be applied no more than once every three years. Be sure to combine the application of organic fertilizers with mineral fertilizers, and when planting in a hole, add a tablespoon of wood ash.

The quality of seed potatoes can also cause holes in potatoes. For planting, use seed potatoes weighing at least 50g, select zoned potato varieties with high yields and medium tuber size.

There is such a nuisance in growing potatoes - our crop grows, beautiful and large tubers are dug up, and then it turns out that they are empty inside. During maturation, it is difficult to determine the presence of this problem. Let's look at why the potatoes are empty inside and what to do about it.

Why is there emptiness in large potatoes?

The fact is that voids occur not only in large tubers; they also happen in small ones; this happens due to the fact that the potatoes are not fertilized and hilled regularly, so the tubers do not develop disproportionately and therefore the voids remain in the middle of the tuber.
Sometimes it happens that potato tubers grow large, even huge and beautiful to look at, but inside they turn out to be empty from the excessive addition of organic matter and fresh manure. Such tubers cannot be stored for a long time, as they rot and midges infest them. It is possible that this disease is called potato cancer. It creates uneven voids in the tubers.

The whole reason here is the imbalance in the growth of the potato itself, the so-called fruit acceleration. However, it is worth noting that the reasons for such manifestations may be different. The most common, many gardeners say, is overuse of fertilizers, which gives rise to this very imbalance.

Very often in large potatoes you can find voids inside. This cavity is covered with a light brown film.

The reason for the appearance of voids is that the internal tissues lag behind the development of external tissues.

Why is this happening?

The lag may be due to a lack of potassium or phosphorus, but on the contrary there is an excess of nitrogen. Another reason is excess moisture.

You can reduce the presence of hollowness in the following ways:

make a balanced diet of potatoes, for example, add wood or peat ash at the rate of thirty grams per plant.

Before harvesting, you need to get rid of all the tops,

As you correctly noted, emptiness occurs only in large potato tubers. In small ones, on the contrary, such voids do not exist. A similar phenomenon is observed when the outer shell of a potato grows faster than its internal filling. Typically, such “hollow” potatoes do not have a smooth, but lumpy surface. Therefore, they can be suspected of having voids without cutting them.

All lovers of large potato tubers, which can be peeled more quickly, are familiar with this nuisance, which is revealed only when cutting the potatoes - cavities of irregular shape, often cross-shaped. So why do potatoes grow hollow inside? It turns out that this happens if the growth of the outer layer of the potato exceeds the growth rate of its inner part. The tuber does not have time to form evenly. This phenomenon is known as potato hollowness or hollowness. It occurs due to an excess of nitrogen in the soil, as well as due to high soil moisture, characteristic of rainy years. Holiness does not affect the taste of potatoes and is not a disease, although the brown film of such cavities must be cut off.

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Let's figure out why potatoes darken and how to prevent blackness from appearing in tubers

Potatoes are one of the products that most people are accustomed to seeing on their table several times a week, or even daily. Many grow it on their plots, others buy it as needed. Quite often, root vegetables quickly darken, losing their attractiveness and taste.

Tuber spoiled by rot

Many people ask why potatoes inside are empty and brown, or even black, and what to do to prevent them from turning dark. Let's look at the reasons

It is important to know why potatoes turn black inside at the stage of growing, storing, and cooking, as this can be dangerous for humans

Wheatgrass

Creeping wheatgrass is one of the most malicious enemies of the summer resident. Its thin roots, which can reach several meters in length, penetrate potato tubers, depriving gardeners of a good harvest.

The plant grows by rhizomes: at a depth of 10-15 cm, a dense network of roots is formed, from which new plants constantly appear. However, wheatgrass reproduces not only in this way, but also by seeds: one plant can produce up to 10 thousand seeds. Thanks to such incredible fertility, it is extremely difficult to get rid of the weed. But this must be done, otherwise the wheatgrass will fill the entire area in a very short time and leave you without a harvest at all.

Agrotechnical methods of combating wheatgrass

Let's list the most effective ones:

Regular removal of wheatgrass is the main way to combat it. It is better to do this not with a shovel, but with a pitchfork. A shovel will cut the rhizome, but will not destroy it, so when favorable conditions occur, the roots will grow again and new shoots will appear from them. And with the help of a pitchfork it will be possible to pull the roots to the surface, where they will quickly dry out and die.
In areas infested with wheatgrass, it is necessary to carry out deep (up to 27 cm) digging of the soil in autumn, followed by spring cultivation. Constantly damaging the wheatgrass roots will exhaust the plant, making it easier to defeat.
Mulching the soil is another way to combat wheatgrass. Cover the area with a layer of mulch (black film, sawdust, straw, humus, etc.) - and the weed will remain without access to sunlight. In such conditions, even such a ubiquitous and tenacious plant as wheatgrass will not be able to survive.

Chemical methods of combating wheatgrass

The chemical industry has created a large number of herbicides to combat wheatgrass, but most of them are prohibited from being used on private farms

Be sure to pay attention to this when purchasing medications.

In summer cottages, it is recommended to use herbicides in early spring, before planting crops, or in late autumn, after harvesting. The following drugs are recommended for combating wheatgrass: Lazurit and Otslitnik. Use them strictly according to the instructions.

How to deal with wheatgrass - 7 reliable methods Creeping wheatgrass is a plant known to most summer residents. This is one of the most tenacious weeds. But there will be justice for him too.

Wireworm

Of all the insects that are not averse to eating potato tubers, the greatest danger is the wireworm.

A wireworm is the name given to the larva of a click beetle. It got its name from its very rigid elongated body, reminiscent of a wire. This small larva (the length of the wireworm is only 10-30 mm) can be compared with the Colorado potato beetle in terms of the degree of damage it causes to potatoes.

The larva of the click beetle lives for 2-4 years. It overwinters in the soil, burrowing to a depth of up to 30 cm. The wireworm feeds on potato tubers, biting into them and making numerous passages inside the fruit. As a result of its vital activity, the development of potatoes slows down and the yield decreases. In addition, through the holes made by the wireworm, pathogens of fungal and bacterial diseases easily enter the tubers.

Preventive measures

How to prevent wireworms from appearing in the garden? This can be done by following the rules of agricultural technology.

Maintain crop rotation. Do not plant potatoes in the same place every year. This crop can be returned to its original bed only after 4 years. The best predecessors for potatoes are legumes or pumpkin crops.
Remove weeds, especially wheatgrass. The wireworm loves wheatgrass. If this weed dominates your area, it will be extremely difficult to get rid of the insect.
Monitor soil acidity levels. The wireworm feels at ease in acidic soils. If your soil pH is below 6, deoxidize the soil. To do this, you can add lime, chalk, wood ash or dolomite flour.
Loosen the rows regularly, do this at least 5-6 times per season.
Applying fertilizers, especially nitrogen and potash, will also help prevent wireworms from appearing.

Folk methods of dealing with wireworms

If preventive measures do not help and the pest still appears on your site, start fighting it as early as possible. There are many options to get rid of wireworms on your site:

In the spring, before planting potatoes, place wireworm bait on the site. To create them, cut the potato tubers into slices and string them onto long - 20-25 cm - pieces of wire (bend the lower ends of the wire so that when pulling out the potatoes do not remain in the ground). Bury the baits in the ground to a depth of about 10 cm, placing them at a distance of about 1 m from each other. Every 2-3 days, remove the wire from the ground and destroy the pest.
To combat wireworms, a herbal infusion is also used. Place crushed nettle (500 g), dandelion leaves (200 g), coltsfoot (200 g) and celandine (100 g) in a bucket of water. Leave the container in a warm place for three days, then strain. Water the potatoes with herbal infusion once a week at the rate of 1 liter of liquid per two bushes.

Chemical methods of controlling wireworms

If folk remedies fail to help in the fight against wireworms, you will have to use chemicals. When using them, under no circumstances should you exceed the norm specified in the instructions.

Use preparations containing ammonia, such as ammonium nitrate or ammonium sulfate (20-25 g per 1 sq.m.). The wireworm does not like them, and therefore, to escape, the pest goes deep into the ground.
Of the insecticides, the most popular drugs for controlling wireworms are Tabu, Prestige and Barguzin. They are used to treat tubers before planting or add them to the soil during planting of potatoes.

How to get rid of wireworms on potatoes once and for all
Do you think that the most dangerous potato pest is the Colorado potato beetle? So you don't know anything about wireworms!

Why do potatoes turn black inside during storage?

The blackening of potatoes inside is a consequence of several reasons. These include errors during crop cultivation, violation of crop storage rules, and damage by pests or diseases.

Tuber blackened inside

Black spots on the outside and inside of the potato may appear already at the stage of its cultivation. This happens in case of improper watering, application of undiluted organic fertilizers to the soil and other factors.

Infectious diseases and tuber damage

During harvesting and transportation, root crops are often damaged. They are injured with shovels and potato harvesters. During transportation, potatoes hit each other and dents appear on them. Damaged areas become entry points for the penetration of microorganisms (fungi, bacteria). And over time, the potato becomes black inside.

Tubers quickly become infected from each other

The appearance of dark spots is provoked by various potato diseases:

Late cleaning and improper storage

Every experienced farmer knows that it is necessary to harvest the potato crop on time. If the deadlines are not met, the potatoes become susceptible to infection and the appearance of blackness. Early harvesting of tubers results in the fact that they do not have time to form a thick skin that protects them from bacteria, pests, and diseases. Also, useful substances that help protect young potatoes do not have time to accumulate. Tubers become defenseless against diseases, and such potatoes quickly turn black.

Causes of voids in potatoes

Why do potatoes appear empty inside and what to do for prevention

As a rule, voids in tubers are formed due to the wrong choice of place for planting and unsuitable fertilizers.

In addition, voids are formed for the following reasons:

excessive watering,
large distance between planted tubers,
planting the seed too deeply.

It should be remembered that a sandy place is not suitable for planting potatoes. As a result, this will also lead to the tubers having voids.

Prevention of blackening

Most potato diseases can destroy a significant portion of the crop. To prevent this, follow preventive measures:

Choose varieties that are more disease-resistant. Give preference to those adapted to the climatic and soil conditions of a particular region.
Carry out pre-sowing treatment of tubers with special preparations (Immunocytophyte, Prestige, Quadris, Maxim, etc.). They strengthen planting material and reduce the threat of infection.
Adhere to crop rotation - if this requirement is not observed, root crops have every chance of being affected by diseases of other crops, which pose a threat to potatoes.
After harvesting, remove tops and other vegetation from the area. Weed the beds regularly throughout the season to remove weeds. When the first signs of disease appear, carry out preventive treatment of all plants.

Browning of potatoes is a common phenomenon. But if you adhere to all conditions for growing and storing crops without exception, select varieties with sufficient starch content and resistance to major diseases, then you can minimize the threat of a problem.

Prevention of hollowness

So, having found out the main reasons for the appearance of hollow, hollow tubers in the potato harvest, you need to try to prevent this in the new planting. Prevention should consist of observing the mandatory standards for applying all types of fertilizing, as well as watering and storing vegetables.

You should not “feed” your child, but you should not allow a lack of necessary substances. Help maintain optimal conditions for crop cultivation.

On a note

It is not recommended to plant large varieties of potatoes in sandy soil.

Reasons for blackening of boiled potatoes

It turns out that not only raw potatoes darken, but also boiled ones. A raw vegetable turns black after cutting, because the tubers contain special components that, when in contact with air, give such a reaction.

After cooking, it also happens that the potatoes turn black. Don’t be scared and throw away the vegetable: consuming such a product is not at all dangerous or harmful. The only negative is the aesthetic appearance, which becomes unsightly, and the taste deteriorates slightly.

Reasons that lead to a vegetable turning black or blue:

The soil where this root crop was grown was not sufficiently enriched with potassium or was fertilized with a mixture containing chlorine. This is unacceptable, because a large amount of acid negatively affects the taste and color of the fruit. In summer, a lack of potassium can be easily noticed by the appearance of the plant. In this case, the upper leaves turn yellow and curl, and eventually the stem

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To avoid this, it is important to grow the vegetable correctly. Potatoes turn black after frosty days

Therefore, the plant should not be allowed to cool down. The excavation and transportation process must be careful

Blackness appears in places where tubers are damaged

It is very important to store vegetables correctly. The room should be well ventilated, and the potatoes should be well dried before being sent to the basement

During storage, you also need to monitor the temperature in the room. With high humidity there is a risk of mold formation. This needs to be monitored periodically; if wet tubers are detected, they should be dried well.

There are also certain varieties that contain a lot of starch. If you come across this variety, then the question of why the potatoes turn black after cooking disappears by itself. You just need to grow a different variety, and there will be no problem. It should be remembered that you should not eat green root vegetables: this is not only not healthy, but also dangerous to health.

Is it worth storing hollow potatoes?

It’s clear that cutting all the potatoes to check their hollowness is not worth it. It is enough if several hollow (to varying degrees) tubers are previously discovered. Then, before storing the crop, it is necessary to separate large tubers.

The selected potatoes must be treated with the drug Fitosporin-M, which is harmless to humans, but does not allow the vegetable to rot due to the Bacillus subtilis it contains. These tubers should be stored separately from others and used for food first. Hollow potatoes are not used as seeds.

Reasons for potato darkening after peeling

Potato tubers often begin to turn black immediately after cutting off the skin. This is a natural process and is associated with the presence of polyphenols in root vegetables. Under normal conditions, these substances do not come into contact with oxygen, but with mechanical damage, which includes removing the peel, everything changes. The intercellular membranes through which polyphenols were separated are disrupted. A chemical oxidation reaction begins, after which the raw potato pulp turns black, red, or blue.

Darkened peeled tuber

If we delve deeper into the biochemical processes, we can note that potatoes contain the enzyme tyrosinase, which is needed to capture oxygen and accelerate the oxidation process. It itself is colorless, but it is because of tyrosinase that the roots turn dark after oxidation. The amount of this enzyme increases in root crops overfed with nitrogen. This is why potatoes turn dark a few minutes after peeling.

Important! Tyrosinase is easily removed with plain water. Therefore, to prevent browning, peeled potatoes are placed in water

But when left in water for a long time, starch and other beneficial substances are washed out, after which the potatoes lose their pleasant taste.

Methods for storing peeled potatoes

Sometimes housewives are faced with the problem of preserving tubers after cleaning.

Preparing potatoes for freezing

To prevent the potatoes from turning black inside, use the following options:

Freezing. Potato slices are placed in a bag and placed in the freezer. There they can be stored for a couple of months or until the first defrosting. First, the pieces are placed individually on a tray or board and placed in the freezer.

When the slices are frozen, carefully remove them from the board and transfer them to a bag or plastic container and put them back in the freezer. This prevents the pieces from sticking together

They are prepared without first defrosting, otherwise everything will turn into jelly.

Cold water. Place the peeled potatoes in a container with water and put them in the refrigerator. It will not turn black, will not turn blue, and will be suitable for cooking within 24 hours.

How to Keep Peeled Potatoes White

It is quite possible to keep potato slices, whole or grated tubers light and not blackened.

Water is a reliable way to keep potatoes light

There are several ways:

Water. To prevent potatoes from darkening after peeling, they are immediately placed in cool, salted or acidified water. Soaking peeled root vegetables in cold water for an hour will keep them fresh and free of black spots. Boiled potatoes are preserved in the same way. After cooking and cooling, it is recommended to place it in cool, acidified water. The tubers will remain appetizing and attractive.
Acidification. When cooking or stewing, add a little apple cider vinegar, bay leaf, a couple of grams of citric acid or a spoonful of lemon juice. These components stop oxidative reactions in potato pulp.
Blanching. To preserve potato slices, immerse them in boiling water for 4 minutes (blanch). This will destroy the tyrosinase and the potatoes will remain light in color. Then they put it in a bag and freeze it or simply put it on the refrigerator shelf (but must be used within 48 hours).

How to prevent potatoes from rotting?

It is better to combat potato rotting in advance, without waiting for characteristic symptoms to appear.

Preventive measures include:

Selection of cold potatoes. These are mid- and late-ripening varieties. It is optimal for the potatoes to be dirty (but not excessively) and dry. Washed potatoes look attractive, but are often soggy inside.
Preparing for storage. It starts with sorting. All damaged and suspicious-looking tubers are removed into a separate bag. They are eaten first. Good potatoes are dried for 2 weeks. To do this, spread it in a thin layer in a well-ventilated area and cover it with burlap. It is optimal to organize a gradual decrease in temperature from +15 to +3 degrees.
Storage. Potatoes are placed on elevated surfaces (pallets) at a distance of 10–15 cm from the floor and walls. The container must have ventilation holes. The optimal room temperature is +2–3 degrees, humidity is 80–90%. The potatoes should not be exposed to light. The best places for storage are the basement and cellar.
Removing spoiled and sprouted tubers. Produced as often as possible. At the same time, there is no need to sort through all the stocks. This can cause damage to the skin. It is enough to collect bad potatoes that are in plain sight.

Folk remedies

It is believed that potatoes will be stored better if special products are placed in the boxes.

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People have long used the following against potato spoilage:

beet;
ash;
pine branches;
Rowan casting.

They absorb excess moisture. Thanks to the content of fungicides and other biologically active components, the vital activity of microorganisms slows down. As a result, the potatoes lie well and spoil less.

To reduce the likelihood of potato spoilage, put 2 beets, 1 pine branch, 100 g of rowan leaves in each box. Or pour out a glass of ash.

Why do potatoes turn black inside during storage?

The blackening of potatoes inside is a consequence of several reasons. These include errors during crop cultivation, violation of crop storage rules, and damage by pests or diseases.

Tuber blackened inside

Infectious diseases and tuber damage

Tubers quickly become infected from each other

The appearance of dark spots is provoked by various potato diseases:

Late cleaning and improper storage

Is it possible to eat these potatoes?

Potatoes affected by ring rot cannot be eaten . Even if you cut off the infected parts. And even if the potatoes undergo heat treatment. Bacteria that cause rot can enter the body and cause poisoning, harm the digestive organs and lead to other unpleasant consequences.

Rust on potatoes is not that dangerous . This is a non-infectious disease that will not cause much harm to the body. You can eat such tubers, but their taste is worse. In addition, spots and veins look unappetizing, and cutting them all out is problematic.

Important! Tubers affected by glandular spot change their chemical composition and nutritional value - they contain less starch and ascorbic acid.

A harvest with colored streaks can be safely eaten . These varieties are rich in antioxidants; red varieties contain carotenoids and anthocyanins. It is best to puree them, bake and boil them with the peel on. They are less suitable for soup and frying because they crumble after prolonged heat treatment.

What to do if the potatoes become hollow

If you find hollows in the tubers in the harvest stocks, you can safely eat them, since they are harmless to the human body (with the exception of hollowness with rot). However, to avoid these unprofitable problems in the future, be sure to study the correct technology for growing such a wonderful vegetable.

Hollow potatoes are not harmful to people, but they bring losses and deprive the gardener of joy as he awaits the harvest. The main measure to combat this phenomenon is prevention, which implies compliance with all the rules of agricultural technology for growing crops.

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What is tuber hollowness and what does affected potatoes look like?

It happens that when a large tuber is cut, a hole is discovered. This phenomenon is called hollowness (by analogy with the hollow of a tree). It is found in varieties that bear fruit with large tubers, such as Lyubimets, Gatchinsky, Temp, Stolovy 19, etc.

Reference

The peculiarity of this potato defect is that it is a physiological disease, and not an infectious-parasitic one. From this it follows that it is safe for a person to consume such a product.

The only negative, however, is important - sometimes about half of the tuber is cut out, and this is a loss. Therefore, it is useful to know the methods of preserving the harvest, which we will try to help with.

Bacterial diseases of potatoes: photo, description, treatment and prevention

Infection can occur from the soil, from nightshade weeds, or through infected tubers.

Ring rot

Potato bushes begin to wither from the top to the roots. In hot weather this happens faster; moderate temperatures and high humidity slow down the spread of infection.

Prevention measures: soil disinfection and the use of varieties resistant to this disease: Lazurit, Rosinka, Skarb.

Brown rot (bacterial wilt)

An infection can be identified by the following signs:

sudden withering;
yellowing of leaves and their wrinkling;
rotting of the root zone;
putrid odor when pressing on the fruit;
brown mucous discharge upon transverse incision.

The causative agent is Ralstonia solanacearum (Smith) Yabuuchi et al. Bacteria enter through mechanical damage to tubers, stomata, stolons, and roots.

Infection control measures:

treatment of planting material with a fungicide;
regular weeding;
spraying with Baktofit before flowering;
drying potatoes before storing them;
disinfection of fruit storage areas.

Blackleg

It starts with the bottom greens and turns yellow. The upper leaves are angled and turn yellowish a little later. The shoots rot, become soft and easily break near the ground.

Mixed internal rot

With this disease, the tubers rot completely and crack. As a rule, the infection develops during crop storage. The peculiarity of this lesion is that the tubers are susceptible to two types of pathogens at once: bacteria and viruses. They get inside through damage on the surface.

Methods for treating and preventing bacterial infections

Affected crops must be destroyed immediately to prevent the infection from spreading to other plants. It is also necessary to promptly mow the tops and remove them from the territory.

Folk remedies for preventing biological contamination

Recipe for an effective folk remedy:

Infuse 1 kg of dry bird droppings in a small volume of water for a couple of days.
Boil 1 kg of dried wormwood in a small amount of water for 10-15 minutes.
Add 1 liter of bird droppings tincture to the grass.
Strain and add 10 liters of water.
Add 10 g of laundry soap shavings to the solution.
Treat potatoes with this fertilizer from the moment of budding 2-3 times at intervals of a couple of weeks.

Chemicals to combat biological infections

Before planting, treat the tubers with the chemical TMTD (consumption 2.1-2.5 l/t). After harvesting, before sending it for storage, treat it with Maxim. To do this, dilute 5 ml of the chemical with 50 ml of water and spray the potatoes.

You can also use the biological fungicide Planriz. For 100 kg of crop, 1 liter of 1% solution will be required.

How to protect potatoes from rust?

First of all, zoned varieties that are resistant to this disease should be used for planting. In addition, it is necessary to ensure adequate nutrition of the tubers during growth. To do this, periodically fertilize the soil with nitrogen fertilizers (organic matter, nitroammophosphate), and also add mobile phosphorus (superphosphate) throughout the entire development period. Liming the area works well against rust. Don’t forget about timely watering of plantings on dry days, as well as lowering the soil temperature.

It has been noticed that rusty spots on potatoes appear less frequently if they are planted in an area where lupine, alfalfa, rapeseed or oilseed radish previously grew.

Protecting potatoes from other common diseases - video

Some diseases and damage to potatoes are completely invisible on the skin. It happens that when you cut into a healthy-looking tuber, you discover that inside it is lined with brown, black or red spots and veins. It is almost impossible to completely cut out the marks and it is unknown whether such potatoes can be eaten at all.

From the article you will learn what these veins mean, whether you can eat potatoes with colored stripes and spots, and how to avoid the appearance of brown veins and spots in tubers.

Reasons for the appearance of emptiness

This disease of potato tubers occurs due to cultivation in unsuitable conditions, as well as incorrect use of fertilizers, when little of some is applied and a lot of others.

Just hollowness

Most often, the reason for the formation of hollowness in potatoes is the rapid growth of the upper layer of the tuber in relation to the inner one. This happens for several reasons:

crop growth on sandy soil in a hot climate;
excessive watering of the planting or too long a period of rain;
bushes planted at a great distance from each other;
too deep planting of seedling tubers;
unbalanced nutrition with fertilizers especially contributes to too intense weight gain and an excess of nitrogen.

A kind of competition occurs, the deeper tissues do not keep up with the outer ones, a rupture occurs inside and a void is formed. Holiness is provoked by all types of stimulation of rapid growth.

The voids have different shapes - cross-shaped, oval, round, etc., as well as unequal sizes. Most often, in spherical tubers the hollowness is elongated, while in oblong tubers, on the contrary, it is spherical. The cavity has brown or cream colored walls. In most cases, this defeat occurs on large tubers. But there are also exceptions.

Also find out why sometimes potatoes crack in the ground.

Hollowness with blackening

It happens that the blackness of the potato tissue is added to the hollowness. One of the reasons may be the same as the provocation of voids - too much nitrogen in the soil (excess of nitrogen fertilizers or lack of potassium).

Potatoes can also turn black inside due to watering errors. This result is possible both in case of lack of water and in case of overflow. Undiluted organic fertilizers can also cause blackness, since concentrated products are unsuitable for crops.

Blackness often appears on the pulp of potatoes during storage. Dark spots appear when potatoes are left in an unventilated, warm place for a long time, about two months. Potato supplies must be kept in a cool, ventilated room, optimally plus 1-3 degrees. At lower temperatures the vegetable will freeze.

Help When putrefactive bacteria penetrate the hollow, the tuber begins to rot, including blackening.

Varieties with a high starch content are susceptible to blackness. Darkening appears when such a vegetable is cooked. Such potatoes are quite suitable for eating, that is, they are not dangerous. Unpleasant “aesthetic” sensations from dark potatoes in a plate can be avoided by adding vinegar or citric acid to the water when cooking.

Why are potatoes empty and brown?

In potatoes with a void inside, beige, brown or brown spots are formed mainly due to improper storage. Most often these are various types of rot.

There is also such a lesion as glandular spotting. It is noticeable on the cut of the vegetable - these are brownish or red-brown spots, different in size and shape. These signs are not visible from the outside. The reason is a disruption of chemical processes in the plant.

Blackening due to crop diseases

As mentioned earlier, the appearance of dark spots can be caused by one or another disease, let’s find out why potatoes can turn black inside, what diseases contribute to this:

Blackleg

This is an infectious disease that is transmitted from an infected tuber to a healthy one. Moreover, further spread of the disease can occur in the bags, when the potato crop has already been harvested and the fields are empty. Externally, this condition can be distinguished from gray spotting, because from the inside the tuber will turn black from the stalon. Black spots initially cover the middle of the potato, later moving to the vascular branches, appearing on the peel. Also a distinctive characteristic of the disease is a characteristic unpleasant putrefactive odor. It is important to detect the problem early during the growing stage to prevent the spread of the disease.

Melanosis

Next we will talk about a disease such as melanosis. Externally, the tuber and peel of the affected crop will look normal, without changes, but at this moment the blackness continues to increase under the peel. It is worth saying that the affected vegetables remain suitable for food, which cannot be said about the previous disease - blackleg. To ensure that the stains do not increase in size and the prepared dish looks more or less attractive and appetizing, you need to add vinegar and citric acid to the water during cooking; it is not necessary to peel the peel.

The reasons for the appearance of melanotic spots can be different, for example, mechanical damage to the vegetable.

Potato varieties with a high starch content in the pulp most often suffer from melanosis; it becomes dark more often than others. In addition, the development of the disease is accompanied by errors in choosing the harvest time. It is worth taking this aspect wisely, and also doing everything to avoid injuring the tubers during harvesting.

The cause of the disease can be high humidity

An excellent prevention of melanosis is placing beets in potato bags; it helps keep the potato pulp intact. The fact is that beet will help overcome the problem of excessive humidity in the place where tubers are stored.

Late blight

Another reason for the appearance of such spots on the pulp may be late blight. This disease occurs in any region, including the entire territory of Russia. A distinctive feature of the disease is that it affects not only the tuber, but the leaves of the plant. This fact greatly complicates pest control. If preventive measures are not taken in time, there is a possibility that the fungus can infect all plants and crops growing in the garden or field.

Signs of late blight

Brownish spots and dots form on the leaves
The leaves rot and then dry out
The final stage is their fall

Causes of late blight

Infection with late blight occurs as follows and for the following reasons:

Remains of weeds and other vegetation were not removed in time
The seedlings were initially infected with a fungus
Mistakes were made in the technology of growing potatoes.

It is worth saying that the scale of late blight damage is impressive; the disease spreads very quickly. The peak incidence occurs during the flowering period of the bush, although in most cases the period of infection can shift in one direction or another depending on weather conditions. The most favorable time for the reproduction and spread of the fungus is wet and damp weather - rainy autumn or thaw in spring. In addition, the spread of infection will be facilitated by excessive watering of potato bushes, thus, pathogenic microflora will move along with moisture through the soil. It is worth saying that, despite the fact that late blight itself poses a danger to the future harvest, the disease also significantly increases the chances of infection with other ailments, for example, various fungal diseases or wet rot.

Prevention of late blight

In order to preserve and protect your crop from late blight, you need to know all the preventive measures, because they are quite simple, in contrast to getting rid of the disease, which involves getting rid of infected bushes. We will try to list the main preventive measures that every farmer should know:

Do not cover the harvested potatoes with tops. If there are infected leaves, there is a risk that the disease will soon spread to the tubers
Harvest depending on the potato variety. So, earlier varieties should be dug up earlier, without waiting for the thickness of the peel, while later varieties should be dug up later.
Follow watering norms and do not forget to add fertilizers to the soil on time.

How to deal with potato rot

To date, there is no effective means of combating rot. It's all about proper prevention. Notice the problem in time and prevent the disease from spreading to the entire crop. All efforts are aimed at suppressing the source of infection, destroying agricultural pests, and creating the correct storage conditions for potatoes.

Methods to suppress the growth of rot:

apply crop rotation;
do not use fresh manure;
remove tops before harvesting;
treat the soil and planting material with phytosporin.

Crop rotation. Alternating crops from different families gives amazing results in improving soil fertility and increasing potato immunity to diseases. Experienced gardeners do not grow potatoes in one place for more than 3 years in a row. You can improve the soil health by planting living healers, cruciferous plants. Oilseed radish, white mustard, rapeseed, and rapeseed cope excellently with numerous potato diseases and all types of rot. They scare away indestructible hordes of wireworms and slugs. The green mass of green manure, as an organic fertilizer, is much more effective than mineral fertilizer.

In garden beds, onions and horseradish can be beneficial neighbors for potatoes. Onions will protect against fungus, and horseradish will give resistance to diseases.

Manure. A favorite fertilizer for gardeners, who use it excessively for fertilizing. This is an opportunity for mushroom colonies to flourish. Fresh manure is especially dangerous for greenhouses. In a closed space, high temperature and humidity, manure becomes a breeding ground for ubiquitous microbes and the occurrence of irreversible putrefactive processes. On the contrary, the temperature in rotted manure increases, killing fungal spores and microbes.

Tops. Mow and remove tops from the field 10 days before harvesting potatoes. You should absolutely not cover dug up tubers with it to prevent infection through stems and leaves.

Harvesting should be done carefully, without damaging the fruits, so as not to introduce infection from the field.

Fitosporin. A natural remedy for treating potatoes against pests, fungal and bacterial infections. Used both for cultivating soil and fruits immediately before planting. The drug is safe to use at any period of the plant’s life. The product contains a living colony of beneficial bacteria, which suppresses the growth of putrefactive microflora.

It would be useful to remind you that healthy tubers of those varieties that are resistant to rot are selected for planting. At the beginning of flowering, even before signs of infection appear, the bushes are sprayed with a 0.4% suspension of copper oxychloride. This is repeated every 10 days. The last time is sprayed 20 days before the potato harvest begins.

To increase potato yields, it is preferable to change seed material to elite Dutch varieties every 5 years.

What is Alternaria blight on potatoes?

Alternaria blight affects the leaves, their petioles, stems and tubers of potatoes. Dry dark brown round or angular spots form on the leaves, then they merge together and the leaf dies.

On stems and petioles, the disease manifests itself in the form of oblong grayish-brown ulcers. Subsequently, the damaged tissues turn brown, rot or dry out. Several small (1-1.5 cm) black-brown spots appear on the surface of the tubers, pressed into the tissue.

The development of the disease occurs especially rapidly in hot weather. The pathogen persists on tops not harvested in the fall, on tubers remaining in the soil, as well as on those stored for spring planting.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wtnf6NsWtxc

Means of protection against Alternaria. When the first signs of disease appear, plants should be immediately sprayed with one of the contact fungicides recommended against late blight. Repeated treatments are carried out after 7-10 days.

Rice. 2 Potato rhizoctonia: 1 - affected sprouts; 2 - affected plant; 3 - sessile small tubers; 4 - ugly tuber; 5 - fungal sclerotia on a tuber

Rice. 3 Tuber scab on potatoes

Rice. 4 Black potato leg: 1 - affected plant; 2 - a cork layer formed in the tuber pulp after the penetration of soil bacteria and fungi; 3 - cracking of the tuber skin; 4 - affected tuber in section

Rice. 5 Potato nematodes, potato nematode: 1 - part of the potato root, severely affected by the nematode; 2-female: 3 - male; potato stem nematode; 4 - male at the top, female at the bottom: 5 - affected tuber in a longitudinal section: 6 - tuber heavily damaged by the nematode

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Types of prevention

Measures to protect potatoes from diseases are divided into three types.

Pre-sowing prevention

Selecting disease-resistant potato varieties is the main condition for obtaining a good harvest. Such varieties must be adapted to local climatic conditions and have high natural immunity.

Necessary activities:

remove tubers that are too small, damaged or suspicious from the planting material;
spray the seed material with an aqueous solution of preparations such as Planriz, Agat or Arilin;
Avoid planting potatoes on heavy soils or in flooded areas of the garden.

Sowing prophylaxis

Follow the rules of crop rotation. Do not plant potatoes in one area for more than three years in a row. Follow these recommendations:

Plant potatoes on a warm sunny day when air humidity is low;
refuse to use organic matter when fertilizing the soil in spring;
Spray young potato shoots with a solution of Bordeaux mixture or preparations containing sulfur;
regularly weed and loosen the rows;
feed the soil with potassium and phosphorus mineral fertilizers.

Prevention during harvest

To keep potatoes healthy, follow these rules:

dig up tubers in dry, warm weather;
do not harvest if the tops on the bush are not completely dry;
after completing the collection, clear the entire area of remnants of tops and fallen leaves;
immediately sort the tubers according to their presentation.
Before storing potatoes for storage, thoroughly ventilate and dry the cellar;
Disinfect storage boxes with a 1% solution of copper sulfate or lime.

Prevention of potato hollowness

Before storing, the tubers are dried.

Measures to prevent hollowness:

Maintaining crop rotation.
Destruction of plant residues after weeding and tops after harvesting potatoes.
Timely pre-harvest removal of tops.
The correct ratio of nutrients - potassium, phosphorus and nitrogen. Avoid excessive application of nitrogen fertilizer.
On richly fertilized soils, plantings are thickened to reduce the area where plants feed.
Carefully sorting the potatoes before storing them.

The source of boron is organic fertilizers : pig, horse and cattle manure. Poultry droppings do not contain enough boron.

The proportion of nitrogenous fertilizers should be approximately 1.5 times lower than the doses of phosphorus and potassium.

The average need for mineral fertilizers per 1 hundred square meters is:

nitrogen – 0.6 kg;
phosphorus – 0.9 kg;
potassium – 1-1.2 kg.

Potatoes are planted in well-warmed soil . On heavy soils, tubers are buried to a depth of 5-8 cm, on light soils - 8-12 cm. To prevent the formation of hollows due to temperature changes, they are covered or hilled during return frosts.

To prevent infections, seed potatoes are sprayed with Fitosporin-M with stirring before planting. The consumption rate per 100 kg of tubers is 0.4-0.5 liters of the drug, diluted in 6-7 liters of water.

Before laying, spray with the preparation “Maxim” - 0.2 l / 2 l of water. During storage, potatoes are inspected and affected tubers are discarded.

Preparing the storage:

thoroughly cleaned of debris and old potatoes;
before laying, the room is treated with bleach (3%) or copper sulfate solution (5%);
maintain the temperature at +2…+7°C;
provide ventilation to reduce relative humidity.

Infectious diseases spread quickly when the humidity in the storage area is high.

Why are the potatoes empty inside?

Voids appear as a result of diseases - non-infectious, bacterial and fungal. Hollowness develops due to improper agricultural practices.

Hollowness

A physiological disease that manifests itself due to improper care. Voids of various sizes and shapes are formed as a result of the growth of internal tissues lagging behind the integumentary tissues.

Metabolic processes are disrupted, starch grains are destroyed, cells die - as a result, cavities are formed. The voids are covered with suberized tissue - a dense skin of cream or beige color.

Why do potatoes become empty inside?

Uneven supply of moisture - after a long drought there is heavy rain.
Changes in air and soil temperature.
Excess nitrogen fertilizers.
Boron deficiency in the soil. Tubers in calcareous soddy-podzolic soils especially suffer from a lack of boron.
The application of high doses of potassium fertilizers results in an increase in the potato's need for boron.

Hollowness is most often observed in large-tuber varieties. Such varieties as Yavor and Gatchinsky are prone to the formation of cavities.

Hollowness with blackening

Dry rot of tubers develops as a result of damage by Fusarium wilt. The disease reaches its maximum value towards the end of storage. The pathogen enters the tuber from the stolon side. First, slightly depressed gray-brown dull spots appear on the surface. Then the peel wrinkles, the flesh becomes dry and rotten.

Subsequently, voids filled with mycelium form in the affected area. The disease quickly spreads from affected tubers to healthy ones. The main source of infection is contaminated soil.

Phoma affects tubers during storage. Depressed dark spots 2-5 cm in size appear on the surface. Voids with a gray or black coating form in the pulp. The source of infection is infected tubers and plant residues in the soil.

Potatoes are empty and brown

Potatoes are damaged by the fall armyworm. The caterpillar, 50 mm in size, light gray in color with two stripes on the body, gnaws cavities in the tubers, along the edges of which remnants of the peel can be seen.

Yellow-white hairy beetle larvae eat holes in the tubers, leaving no skin around the edges. Subsequently, the potatoes rot.

The common mole cricket lives in damp lowlands. It eats away cavities in potatoes, which leads to rotting of the tubers.

Fusarium-bacterial rot appears during storage. May occur as dry rot. Inside the tuber, voids are formed, covered with white, pink or orange mycelium. Sick potatoes have no smell.

Potato ditylenchosis is determined by depressed dark spots in the form of dry rot on the peel. During storage, they increase in size, the tubers crack and dry out. The disease is caused by potato stem nematode. Infection occurs in the soil during the growing season.

Blackleg is a pathogen that penetrates potatoes through stolons during the initial stages of tuberization. A colorless spot appears, which gradually softens. The affected area grows, a cavity forms, and the area is limited by a dark line. Rot has a wine smell at first, then a sharp fishy smell. During storage, the core of the tuber is affected, which then becomes hollow and black with a layer of sticky secretions.

Potato diseases

Blackening is a defect caused by mechanical stress, infections, diseases, improper collection or growing process, or improper storage.
It is important not only to grow a large harvest, but also to be able to preserve it until next year. The most common problem is blackening of the tubers inside. No matter how good a potato looks, it may darken during storage or be darker when dug up.

We need to determine what exactly this is connected with. Otherwise, the entire harvest could be spoiled. A similar problem can be caused by both the physiological disease melanosis (gray spotting) and a variety of infectious diseases, mainly fungal.

Often such stains occur due to improper cultivation of the crop or due to non-compliance with temperature and other storage conditions. Tubers also darken due to infection with certain diseases.

To grow a good and healthy crop, the plant requires moderate air temperature and moisture. In the heat, root vegetables overheat. At low temperatures, tubers do not have time to develop.

Due to the lack of oxygen and the abundance of rain, potatoes become susceptible to various fungal and bacterial diseases. In this regard, rotting of the tubers occurs. During drought, the plant lacks moisture and also runs the risk of becoming infected with microbes or mold spores.

Diseases

In addition to weather conditions, various diseases can be a factor in the occurrence of black spots:

late blight;
melanosis;
blackleg;
brown rot;
ring rot;
necrosis.

Potatoes must be harvested on time. Digging up unripe tubers increases the risk of blackening of the pulp. On the contrary, if the potatoes are ripe and the tops are dry, but the crop is not harvested, then the root crop overheats in the sun-heated soil.

Late cleaning with the onset of cold weather is also dangerous. If the soil temperature drops to 1°C or lower, the root crop is susceptible to frostbite. And with further storage it rots and darkens.

Incorrect actions during harvesting can lead to negative consequences:

If, after digging, without drying the potatoes, store them in a room without ventilation.
A significant factor in the appearance of gray spots are considered to be broken spots on tubers, as well as those compressed when placed in containers for transportation to storage.
Potatoes can spoil if stored in bags for a long time without refrigeration.

During the harvesting of tubers from the site and subsequent transportation, the root crops often break, which leads to mechanical defects. Damaged areas can change color during storage, and damaged peels are a conductor for microbes, fungi, bacteria and viruses that cause various diseases.

In many cases, potatoes become diseased during wintering and infect healthy root crops. Here's what can lead to this:

Undried and poorly cleaned potatoes are stored for storage.
Boxes and bottoms without ventilation slots, with nails protruding from the boards, have not been cleaned or dried since last season.
Potatoes are left in bags for a long time. Root vegetables cannot be stored in this way. In the bag it is not ventilated, becomes damp and quickly rots.

Violation of the temperature regime in the storage facility also has a negative impact. Especially in autumn and spring, when the seasons change. The air temperature should be from 1 to 4 degrees.

Prolonged storage below 1°C will spoil the potatoes. It will taste sweet and darken. Temperatures above the prescribed value will lead to the appearance of rot and germination.

A) Potato diseases caused by fungi

LATE BLHA. An infectious disease caused by the fungus Phitophtora infenstans.

The infection persists in tubers, soil and plant debris. Leaves, stems and tubers are affected. As a rule, the disease is observed mainly in the second half of the potato growing season, first on the lower leaves in the form of dark brown spots with a grayish coating of sporulation on the underside of the leaves.

If favorable conditions exist, the disease spreads to the stems. Optimal conditions for the development of late blight are created in cool and rainy weather (at a temperature of 8...100C and air humidity above 90%). Often the tops on the site die in 5...10 days.

As a result of sexual reproduction, oospores are formed that can be stored in the soil for 4–5 years. Symptoms of the disease in this case often appear earlier than usual - before the budding phase. At the same time, the first signs of the disease are often observed on the stems, which easily break and the tops die off.

Control measures. Cultivate relatively blight-resistant varieties. Cleaning and destruction of affected plant residues, landfills, waste from potato processing, timely and deep hilling before closing the tops, removal and destruction of affected tops 7...10 days before harvesting, drying the tubers before storing them.

Treating the seed material before planting with one of the following preparations: botran (20 g/c), polycarbocin (260 g/c), cuprosan (25...50 g/c), zineb (50...100 g per 1 c of tubers). Application of increased doses of potash and use of copper-containing fertilizers.

When the height of the plants is 15...25 cm, preventive spraying of the plants is carried out with a 1% solution of Bordeaux mixture (100 g of copper sulfate and 100 g of lime per 10 liters of water). The consumption rate is 6 liters per 1 hundred square meters.

Among the chemical means of combating late blight, the most effective are systemic preparations: Ridomil and Acrobat (a matchbox on a bucket of water). Contact drugs polycarbocin and polychome (40 g per 10 liters of water) are also used. The consumption rate is 6 liters per 1 hundred square meters.

RHIZOCTONIOSIS. The causative agent of the disease is the fungus Rizoktonia solani, a broadly specialized pathogen that affects potatoes, tomatoes, cabbage, beets, alfalfa, beans, lentils, lupine, and sometimes clover. A facultative parasite, that is, it is capable of existing saprophytically in the soil for a long time.

Prefers heavy clay soils with a high humus content, prone to the formation of soil crust. It exhibits pathogenic properties at soil temperatures from 5 to 270C, and the greatest harmfulness is observed at 15...210C and high soil moisture. The infection persists in the soil and on seed tubers.

Rhizoctoniosis manifests itself in the form of “black scab” of tubers, rotting of the eyes and seedlings, they die without reaching the surface, and death of the roots. In the summer, after the tops close, with high soil and air humidity, the fungus begins to sporulate, forming a dirty white coating at the base of the stems.

This is the sexual stage of the fungus, called the "white stipe". Its intensive development in the field indicates severe damage to the underground organs of the potato. The resting stage of the fungus - sclerotia - can persist in the soil for 2...6 years.

Control measures. Planting potatoes with healthy planting material is the main condition for effective protection against rhizoctonia. Treating seed material with fungicides. Cultivation of potatoes in crop rotation.

POTATO CANCER. Is a quarantine object. All parts of the plant are affected except the roots, due to which the potato disease is most often detected only at the time of harvest. The disease manifests itself in the form of growths on tubers, stolons and at the root collar.

The growths are small at first, and then grow and often exceed the size of the tuber. As the growths age, their color changes from white to dark brown. Subsequently, the growths decompose at the same time, and the tuber also rots, turning into a brown mucous mass with an unpleasant odor.

We suggest you read: How to properly grow tomato seedlings

Control measures. Plant cancer-resistant varieties. In areas of disease, potato harvesting should be carried out only in the presence of a representative of the State Quarantine Inspectorate. Diseased tubers are placed in large holes and buried, the tops are dried and burned.

Cabbage, cucumber and other crops are planted on the plot. The soil is cleared of the cancer pathogen in 5…6 years.

MACROSPORIOSIS. Appears on leaves in the form of round concentric dry spots of various sizes, on stems - in the form of oblong grayish-brown dry ulcers. Harmfulness increases in dry and hot weather.

On the affected tubers, superficial black, slightly depressed spots of various configurations form; Only the integumentary tissue of the tubers is damaged. But during winter storage, infection with another infection occurs through these places, and the tubers, as a rule, rot by spring.

Control measures. Harvesting seed tubers only in a mature state, applying increased doses of potassium fertilizers. Spraying potato plants and soil in dry hot weather with a (white) solution of chalk or lime (norms are arbitrary), which significantly (up to 50C) reduces the soil temperature in the tuberization zone and reduces overheating of the plant.

DRY ROT. Dry rot (fusarium) develops on tubers during storage. Initially, grayish-brown, slightly depressed spots appear on the tuber, and the integumentary tissue wrinkles slightly. The pulp under the stain becomes loose and acquires a brownish color.

The pathogenic fungus comes out and forms fluffy mycelium pads of various colors on the surface of the tuber. The tuber becomes light and so hard that it is difficult to cut with a knife. The causative agent of the disease penetrates the tuber through wounds on the skin formed as a result of mechanical damage, as well as through places affected by other diseases or damage by harmful insects.