The patented fertiliser additive Kicka has been proved as a strong option for growers looking for a high yield of good-quality potatoes, using 20 per cent less nitrogen than other techniques.

Masstock’s potato specialist Peter Jones has said that the use of Kicka, applied close to the planted seed, could enable growers to cut nitrogen rates by 100kg/ha with no consequential loss of yield.

He said: “It could be significant for farmers when complying with NVZ and RB209 rulings and potentially brings environmental benefits from a reduction in nitrogen usage. More importantly, it will improve potato crop gross margins, too.”

Jones reports that in his trials growing potatoes, using just 150kg of nitrogen per ha resulted in crops with extra marketable yields of over 10.1 tonnes/ha.

Replicated trials were held to compare the use of Kicka with three different Nitrogen levels - 250kg N/ha, 200kg N/ha and 150kg N/ha.

Jones said: “In Cheshire, Kicka applied with the lowest nitrogen level resulted in a yield of 46 tonnes/ha - equivalent to 53 per cent more marketable yield from 37 per cent more tubers. The following year, although the response was less dramatic, the plots with 150kg N/ha and Kicka gave over 23 per cent more marketable yield than those without. This treatment had 11 per cent more tuber numbers at the final lift."

Jones added: “Developed from the methanoic zinc amonionate-based product FTC-1, Kicka works by stimulating root development. If there is sufficient nitrogen to bulk up the crop, excellent yields will result. In trials where Kicka was applied on its own with nil nitrogen, you could see that the tuber numbers had increased, but you just didn’t have anything to bulk the tubers up.”