Nadia potatoes were released by the Ministry of Agriculture in 2009 as a mutation of granola potatoes. These potatoes were first obtained from Wildan Mustofa, a potato farmer from Hikmah Farm in Pangalengan, West Java, during G3 propagation in greenhouses. Later, the superior mutase seeds were developed and tested across multiple locations, yielding satisfactory outcomes.
Production of nadia potatoes reaches 25 tons/hectare, which is roughly 10% more productive than granola potatoes. Reportedly, nadia potatoes can yield up to 45 tons/hectare. In addition to their smooth tuber skin appearance, gardeners favor them for their good resistance to late blight caused by Phytophthora infestans attacks and soil-borne diseases like nematodes.
When comparing nadia potatoes to granola potatoes, it is clear that nadia potatoes have a longer harvest lifespan of approximately 15-20 days. Whereas granola potatoes are harvested after 90 days, nadia potatoes require about 105-110 days of growth.
Additionally, the frequency of pesticide spraying on nadia potatoes is noticeably less, averaging around 15 times compared to granola potatoes’ 20 times. As a result, these circumstances allow farmers to cut back up to 15% on pesticide costs.
To achieve high potato yields, nadia potatoes must implement a range of specialized cultivation techniques. These include the flooding of the land for two months before planting, sprinkler irrigation, soil reconditioning using dolomite, zeolite, and compost, and balanced fertilization.
