CFANS in 60: Sustainable and profitable potatoes

Carl Rosen, professor in the Soil, Water, and Climate department at the College of Food, Agricultural and Natural Resource Sciences (CFANS), has been conducting research on potatoes at Sand Plain Research Farm in Becker, Minnesota, for decades. Potato is the fourth most important food crop worldwide, and yet it poses unique sustainability challenges for farmers. Potatoes require a lot of nutrients to grow, but too much fertilizer is costly for farmers and pollutes the water. Rosen’s research is focused on water and nutrient management to grow potatoes most efficiently. 

Potatoes grow best in sandy soil, with good drainage and a loose texture. The unique soil at Sand Plain Research Farm allows Rosen to study the crop in a realistic setting that closely resembles a commercial potato farm. He and his team are able to come up with practical water and fertilizer recommendations that protect natural resources and produce the highest quality crop. “We’re trying to be more efficient in the way we use our nutrients and our water, to produce a sustainable crop and keep the industry profitable,” says Rosen.  

The Sand Plain Research Farm features 290 acres of irrigated cropland and eight irrigation systems. However, “the one thing that we lack at this particular station is a building to house our equipment,” says Rosen. He and his team currently store their tools and research equipment on a site five miles away. The Minnesota Agricultural Experiment Station is currently fundraising for the construction of an onsite building to house tools and research equipment. “Having something [onsite] would really improve the efficiency of operations,” says Rosen.