Multicote™ Agri Improved Potato Yield, Quality, and Fertilizer Efficiency in Colombia
Potato production in Colombia’s highland regions requires careful nutrient management to support yield, tuber quality, and profitability under demanding growing conditions. In the Meseta Cundiboyacense, Haifa Colombia conducted a comparative evaluation between Haifa Multicote™ Agri controlled-release fertilizers and a traditional conventional NPK fertilization scheme.
The objective was to evaluate productivity, nutrient use efficiency, economic performance, logistical savings, and potential reduction of environmental impact in potato cultivation.
The trial was carried out as part of Haifa Colombia’s Helping Hands initiative, designed to generate measurable environmental, social, and economic impact through practical support for local growers.
Trial Details
Location: Salitre Alto Village, Villapinzón, Colombia (2,942 m above sea level)
Climate: Temperatures of 5°C–19°C, rainfall of 1,500 mm/year
Crop: Potato cv Pastusa Superior
Planting: November 11, 2025
Harvest: May 4–6, 2026
Fertilization Treatments
Two fertilization strategies were compared: a conventional program based on two applications, and a Multicote™ Agri program based on a single main application.
Conventional
| Product | Application rate (kg/ha) |
| 1st application | |
| 0-16-0 +26CaO, 6.5MgO, 7S, 6Si. 1Zn, O.5B | 150 |
| 10-30-10 +3MgO, 5S | 300 |
| 12-20-12 +3MgO, 4S | 450 |
| 2nd application | |
| 12-8-24-3MgO | 1100 |
| KCl | 550 |
| Total | 2550 |
Multicote™ Agri
| Product | Application rate (kg/ha) |
| Coated MAP (4) 10-48-0 | 100 |
| Coated NPK (4) 11-3-41 | 500 |
| Coated magnesium | 50 |
| Coated boron | 20 |
| Coated zinc | 20 |
| Haifa Cal Agri | 110 |
| 10-30-10-3MgO-5S | 300 |
| Total | 1100 |
Both plots received 2 drenching applications of Haifa soluble fertilizer, providing the following nutrients (units per ha):
| N | P205 | K2O | CaO | MgO | S | Fe | Mn | Cu | Zn | B | Mo |
| 12 | 13 | 24 | 12 | 3 | 2 | 0.25 | 0.17 | 0.02 | 0.09 | 0.08 | 0.02 |
Total Nutrient Supply
The Multicote™ Agri program supplied substantially lower total amounts of most macronutrients compared with the conventional program.
| Nutrient | N | P205 | K2O | CaO | MgO | S | Fe | Mn | Cu | Zn | B |
| Conventional | 216 | 282 | 684 | 35 | 65 | 88 | 3 | 4 | 216 | 282 | 684 |
| Multicote Agri | 119 | 148 | 236 | 29 | 20 | 26 | 4.4 | 0.5 | 119 | 148 | 236 |
| Difference (%) | -45 | -48 | -66 | -17 | -70 | -71 | +42 | -88 | -45 | -48 | -66 |
Yield Results
| Conventional | Multicote Agri | |
| 1st harvest | 9.46 | 17.5 |
| 2nd harvest | 7.24 | 3.13 |
| 3rd harvest | 3.9 | 4.38 |
| Total | 20.6 | 25.0 |
- Multicote™ Agri increased total yield by 4.4 ton/ha, equivalent to a 21.6% yield increase compared with the conventional treatment.
- First-quality production was also higher: 70% of total yield, vs 46% in the conventional treatment.
- The combination of higher total yield and a larger share of first-quality potatoes contributed directly to higher income.
Left: conventional. Right: Multicote Agri
Nutrient Use Efficiency
The following table shows nutrient application rates per ton of potatoes produced.
| Nutrient | N | P205 | K2O | CaO | MgO | S |
| Conventional | 10.5 | 13.7 | 33.2 | 1.7 | 3.2 | 4.2 |
| Multicote Agri | 4.7 | 5.9 | 9.4 | 1.1 | 0.8 | 1.0 |
The Multicote™ Agri program produced more potatoes with lower nutrient input. Overall, it achieved 42.9 kg of potatoes per kg of supplied nutrients, compared with 15.9 kg/kg in the conventional treatment. This means the Multicote™ Agri treatment produced approximately 2.7 times more potatoes per kg of supplied nutrients.
Nitrogen uptake
NUE results were confirmed by real-time measurements of leaf nitrogen using Croptune™, showing better N with Multicote™ Agri. Croptune™ technology allows monitoring the crop’s nutritional status and make timely adjustments to fertilization programs to optimize growth and maximize yield.
Economic Analysis
| Parameter | Conventional | Multicote™ Agri | Difference |
| Treatment cost, fertilizers + labor, $/ha | 2,354 | 2,280 | -3.14% |
| Income, $/ha | 4,000.1 | 5,822.2 | +45.5% |
| ROI | 1.70 | 2.55 | +50% |
The Multicote™ Agri treatment required slightly lower investment and generated higher income. The improvement in ROI reflects both the yield increase and the higher share of first-quality production.
Practical Advantages for Growers
The results point to several practical advantages of the Multicote™ Agri program:
- Higher total yield: +4.4 ton/ha
- Higher first-quality production: 70% vs. 46%
- Higher income: +45.5%
- Higher ROI: 2.55 vs. 1.70
- Lower treatment cost: -3.14%
- Fewer fertilizer applications
- Lower fertilizer quantity applied
- Reduced labor, transportation, and logistics requirements
- Lower risk of nutrient losses to the environment
Conclusion
Under the conditions of this trial in Villapinzón, Colombia, Multicote™ Agri improved potato crop performance while reducing fertilizer quantity and simplifying application.
Compared with the conventional fertilization scheme, Multicote™ Agri increased total yield by 21.6%, improved first-quality production from 46% to 70%, and raised ROI by 50%. At the same time, it reduced treatment cost and improved nutrient use efficiency, producing 2.7 times more potatoes per kg of supplied nutrients.
These results demonstrate the potential of controlled-release nutrition as a practical tool for improving grower profitability, fertilizer efficiency, and sustainable potato production.
Report by William Pachon
