Reducing the Risk of Soil Erosion from Potato Cropping

Only grow potatoes where a field is mostly classified as free draining. Experience suggests that soils with >2% organic matter have better soil structure and water holding capacity. It may be worth testing for soil organic matter (loss on ignition) occasionally.  

When selecting fields for potato cropping, the higher the slope gradient, the higher the risk of run off. For a 2-3 degree slope the reduction of the water infiltration rate compared to that of a level field is 10%. This reduces further to a 40% reduction in water infiltration in fields with a 5 to 7 degree slope. If using a field with a slope gradient for potato cropping, selecting an early maturing variety can help to mitigate the risk of having uncovered and/or uncultivated soil following harvest, prior to the establishment of the subsequent crop during the higher rainfall period of the autumn/winter. Another option is to plant grass margins or plant the headlands in another crop to intercept run off.   

Trailing a Dyker behind a potato planter can also be an effective action. The Dyker consists of a set of wheels with three inclined shovels each. Attached to the rear end of the planting machine, it digs holes into the bottom of the furrows between the potato hills. The holes are intended to improve water infiltration and to help retain water near the plants, while preventing waterlogging and stagnant water in depressions and minimizing surface runoff and soil erosion.