“In 2025, NDVI analysis in Buenos Aires enabled up to 18% higher potato yields using precision management.”

Potato Yield Boost: NDVI Insights in Buenos Aires 2025

Table of Contents

1. Introduction: Revolution in Potato Crop Management
2. Potato Crop in Buenos Aires: Region, Cycle, and Typical Yields
3. Remote Sensing and NDVI Fundamentals for Potato Yield
4. NDVI and Potato Phenological Stage Tracking
5. Precision Soil & Nutrient Management via Remote Sensing
6. NDVI-Driven Precision: Fighting Blight, Pests, and Weeds
7. Irrigation and Yield Optimization with Satellite Data
8. Comparative Table: Potato Parameters Pre & Post Remote Sensing
9. Farmonaut Technology: Affordable, Scalable Satellite Insights
10. Buttons, Product Links, and Resources
11. Frequently Asked Questions on Potato NDVI

Introduction: Revolution in Potato Crop Management

The potato (Solanum tuberosum) is not just a staple for food security in Argentina, but also a crucial economic crop across Buenos Aires. In 2025, precision agriculture is making dramatic changes in potato management—driven by remote sensing, NDVI (Normalized Difference Vegetation Index) analysis, and innovative data platforms like Farmonaut. These advances enable us to monitor crops, identify nutrient gaps, manage water and pests, and ultimately realize higher yields—sometimes up to 18% more, as demonstrated this year across over 400 hectares.

This comprehensive guide focuses on how NDVI insights, soil analysis, satellite-based moisture assessments, and phenological (growth stage) tracking work together to boost potato yields in Partido de Lobería and the broader Buenos Aires region. We’ll delve into critical metrics—such as soil pH, nutrient levels, harvest readiness, and pest detection—that now drive precision crop management and smarter decision-making for every producer intent on increasing tuber production and food security.

“Remote sensing identified soil and pest issues across over 400 hectares of Buenos Aires potato fields in one season.”

Potato Crop in Buenos Aires: Region, Cycle, and Typical Yields

The Buenos Aires region, and specifically Partido de Lobería (Sudeste Bonaerense), is a key production zone for papa (potato) in Argentina. With its temperate climate and ideal soil conditions, the zone typically supports potatoes grown in conventional, irrigated systems—with significant adoption of sprinkler irrigation as the recommended method (Source: INTA Balcarce, 2023, accessed 20 September 2025).

• Typical Sowing Period: October to November (to avoid late frosts, optimize the growing season).
• Crop Maturity/Harvest: February to April (120–150 days after sowing, depending on variety).
• Yield Range (kg/acre): 12,140 kg (minimum) to 20,234 kg (maximum) in standard practice. (Highest recorded: 24,280 kg/acre).
• Soil pH: Optimal at 6.5; salinity typically low; soil organic carbon (% SOC) often suboptimal, requiring correction.
• Major Constraints: Risks of late blight (Phytophthora infestans), common scab, Rhizoctonia canker, weed infestations, and nutrient depletion.

To maximize these yields, detection and precision management across all phenological stages—from planting to senescence and harvest—are essential. This is where remote sensing and NDVI-based data come into play, offering insights previously unattainable through traditional methods.

Potato Phenology and Growth Stages Based on Local & Global Best Practices (2025)

Growth Stage	Days After Sowing (DAS)	NDVI Range (Typical)	Key Activity
Sprouting/Emergence	15–30	0.2–0.4	Planting to first leaf emergence
Vegetative Growth (Stolonization)	30–60	0.4–0.6	Strong canopy development
Tuber Initiation	60–90	0.5–0.8	Beginning of tuber set
Tuber Bulking	90–150	0.6–0.9	Maximum tuber, peak NDVI
Maturity/Senescence	150–180	0.3–0.6	Yellowing, reduced growth
Harvest/Post-Harvest	180–210	0.2–0.4	Canopy senesced/harvested

Source: INTA Balcarce (2023, accessed 20 September 2025); General agricultural guidelines; FAO; Local cropping registers

Remote Sensing and NDVI Fundamentals for Potato Yield

Now, let’s break down how remote sensing (especially NDVI-based analysis) has transformed potato management in the Buenos Aires region in 2025.

• NDVI (Normalized Difference Vegetation Index): An indicator derived from multispectral satellite data, reflecting the health, vigor, and density of vegetation. NDVI for potatoes climbs as canopies develop, peaks during tuber bulking, and falls as senescence sets in.
• NDWI (Normalized Difference Water Index): Used to estimate soil moisture—critical for potatoes susceptible to both drought and over-watering.
• Spatial Resolution and Timeliness: Frequent, high-res satellite images identify stress zones (low NDVI), waterlogging (high NDWI), weed outbursts, and pest or disease signatures.
• Predictive Modeling: AI-based systems interpret these indices, benchmarking NDVI trends against typical growth curves and historical local values to signal nutrient gaps, diseases like blight, and impending harvest time.

Satellite-based NDVI and NDWI have enabled field-specific and even within-field variability mapping, which is then matched to yield estimates, fertilizer plans, irrigation scheduling, and integrated pest management.

How NDVI Data Reflects Potato Growth in Buenos Aires

• Low NDVI at Planting: Indicates bare or sparsely vegetated soils post-planting.
• Rising NDVI during Canopy Growth: Marks successful establishment; poor zones may signal nutrient gap or emergence trouble.
• Peak NDVI at Bulking: Predictive of future yield—a core focus in 2025 for Argentina’s papa sector.
• Falling NDVI at Senescence: Healthy decline signals crop readiness for harvest. Out-of-range readings may indicate disease, late weed flush, or volunteer tubers.

For every crop stage, average NDVI is compared against typical curves (see above), and any significant variance—especially in September 2025 data—triggers an advisory.

NDVI and Potato Phenological Stage Tracking in Buenos Aires (2025)

Precise tracking of crop phenology—the timing of each growth stage—is paramount for optimizing inputs and maximizing tuber yields. Satellite imagery allows us to synchronize advisories (fertilizer, irrigation, pest control) to the actual current crop stage, not just calendar assumptions.

• Early Stage (Sprouting/Emergence): Targeted irrigation and weed management, as low NDVI indicates sparse canopy—may require herbicide or mulches.
• Canopy Expansion to Tuber Bulking: If NDVI is below the expected range, it flags nutrient gaps—especially N, P, Zn, and S (noted as “criticality: low or moderate”).
• Senescence/Harvest: Normal NDVI decline correlates with optimal tuber maturation and pre-harvest logistics. If NDVI remains high, this usually signals:
  • Delayed harvest (weather-affected phenology)
  • Active weed infestation (volunteer potato, purslane, lambsquarters, pigweed, barnyardgrass)

This approach, aligned to field-observed and satellite-detected growth stages, greatly reduces input waste while lifting yields and reducing blight, pest, or weed outbreaks. Data from INTA Balcarce and FAO guidelines form the basis for these precision recommendations.

Phenological Stage and NDVI—A 2025 Snapshot (Buenos Aires)

• Current NDVI in September 2025: Reports indicate outliers (as high as 0.71) during supposed harvest/post-harvest, suggesting either delayed crop or heavy weed pressure.
• Typical NDVI at Harvest: Should range 0.2–0.4 for healthy senesced potato fields—anything above strongly indicates a management anomaly, or a re-greening (i.e. weed flush).
• Field-Specific Insights: Real data: 0.2–0.4 (ideal, senesced); 0.7 (high, likely weed or late vegetative growth)—adjust management accordingly!

Regular phenology-linked NDVI tracking ensures every nutrient, water or pesticide application is justified, timely, and based on real growth/evolution—the essence of smart, resource-efficient potato agriculture in 2025.

Precision Soil & Nutrient Management via Remote Sensing

Soil health directly determines potato performance in Buenos Aires. Using field and satellite data, 2025’s best-practices now include:

1. Mapping Soil Composition & Organic Carbon: Accurate detection of low soil organic carbon (SOC <0.15%) triggers organic amendments: manure, compost, cover crops (FAO, 2023).
2. Recording Soil pH & Salinity: Predicted or measured optimal pH (6.5) supports best tuber health; low salinity is crucial for avoiding yield and quality loss.
3. Nutrient Gap Analysis: Field-specific ppm/kg/acre levels for N, P, K, Zn, S, tracked against ideal ranges (INTA Balcarce, 2022):
   • Nitrogen (N): 9.1–18.2 kg/acre for mature crop; high N post-maturity signals over-fertilization risk.
   • Phosphorus (P): 18.2–27.3 kg/acre
   • Potassium (K): 136.5–182.0 kg/acre
   • Zinc (Zn): 0.9–4.6 kg/acre; zinc sulphate is the recommended chemical fertilizer source if a gap is detected.
   • Sulfur (S): 9.1–18.2 kg/acre
4. Fertilizer Recommendations: No chemical or organic fertilizer is applied during harvest/post-harvest stages. In gap-detected stages, adjust application rate accordingly. Compost, manure, and green manures are preferred for sustainable yield.

All these recommendations are now triggered by AI-driven satellite advisories tracking real-time NDVI and soil moisture proxies. This is detailed in the Farmonaut AI Advisory System.

Soil Fertility Gaps and Advisory—2025 Buenos Aires Results

• Recent soil tests in Partido de Lobería fields revealed:
  • Nitrogen: Typically within range in harvest periods; must be monitored earlier for growth stage correction.
  • Phosphorus, Zinc, Potassium, Sulfur: Usually borderline or slightly low by post-harvest. Application earlier at the recommended rate maintains optimal canopy NDVI and yield.
  • Organic Carbon (%SOC): 0.11–0.15% in sampled fields—significantly low (FAO recommends >2% for healthy, sustained soil fertility).

All recommendations should be field- and stage-specific, based on NDVI, growth curves, and periodic advisories—moving beyond generic fertilization.

NDVI-Driven Precision: Fighting Blight, Pests, and Weeds

Modern remote sensing not only tracks growth and fertility but—crucially—detects disease, pest, and weed threats much earlier than field scouting alone in the Buenos Aires region in 2025.

• Key Potato Diseases:
  • Late Blight: Risk is highest in moist, humid, or poorly rotated fields—NDVI drop or odd spatial patterning can indicate infection.
  • Early Blight, Rhizoctonia Canker, Common Scab: Season-specific and highly correlated with soil composition (pH, SOC), moisture, and previous crop residue.
• Major Potato Pests:
  • Potato Tuber Moth (Phthorimaea operculella): Monitored via NDVI, particularly in late stage where unharvested or exposed tubers are at risk.
  • Aphids, Leafminers, Wireworms: Often indicated by early growth dips (vegetation gaps) in NDVI/NDWI data.
• Common Weeds (2025):
  • Lambsquarters, Redroot Pigweed, Purslane, Barnyardgrass, Volunteer Potato
  • NDVI “hot spots” at harvest/post-harvest nearly always identify these threats; spatial mapping allows targeted, not blanket, herbicide application.

Not only does remote NDVI-based detection reduce risk, it also allows integrated pest management (IPM)—using both chemical (e.g., fludioxonil, azoxystrobin, spinosad, chlorantraniliprole, glyphosate) and organic (rotation, mulching, healthy seed) solutions.

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NDVI & Pest/Weed Hotspot Mapping—What to Watch For

• Unusual Green Zones at harvest = likely weed infestation (NDVI >0.4 when expected is 0.2).
• Sporadic NDVI Drops in canopy = early blight or pest attack focus zones; send scout team and apply site-specific control.
• Persistent Moist Patches (NDWI): Ideal for common scab, potato moth, wireworm—adjust irrigation and timing.

Irrigation and Yield Optimization with Satellite Data

Correctly timed irrigation, based on NDWI and field-stage, is vital for maximizing potato yields and preventing disease in Buenos Aires.

1. Sprinkler Irrigation: The most recommended method (Source: INTA Balcarce, 2023); less impact on pH but must be matched to crop phenology (NDVI-guided schedule).
2. Water Needs:
   • Greatest during canopy expansion and tuber bulking (highest NDVI); minimal at harvest/senescence—skip irrigation in post-harvest.
3. Soil Moisture (NDWI) Advisories:
   • High NDWI during harvest = harvest delay, high risk for blight/scab.
   • Low NDWI during early growth may limit tuber formation—trigger irrigation.

Using remote NDWI in tandem with NDVI enables stage- and zone-specific water management, avoiding over-watering (and thus disease) or water stress (and thus yield loss).

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Comparative Table: Potato Parameters Pre & Post Remote Sensing (Buenos Aires 2024–2025)

Summary: NDVI-guided management in 2025 led to higher average vegetation health, smarter soil moisture targeting, increased yield by ~18%, and a substantial reduction in unanticipated pest outbreaks across Buenos Aires’s papa fields.

Farmonaut Technology: Affordable, Scalable Satellite Insights

At Farmonaut, we empower potato growers in Argentina and worldwide with cost-effective, scalable satellite-driven solutions:

• Satellite-Based Crop Monitoring: Real-time NDVI, NDWI, canopy status—delivered via web, Android, and iOS apps, or API integration.
• AI-Powered Advisory: Actionable, stage-specific advisories derived from current, local, and historical data—customized to your specific field in Partido de Lobería or neighboring regions.
• Blockchain Traceability: Track every input, crop stage, and product movement for food security and market access.
• Environmental & Carbon Monitoring: Adapt fertilizer and irrigation to reduce emissions and comply with sustainability mandates.
• Fleet & Resource Management: Optimize machinery and logistics for sustained, efficient operation across larger farms.

Our Agro-Admin App provides large-scale farm management, including potato and other crops—enabling you to monitor, analyze, and manage multiple fields with a single platform and take informed decisions from sowing through harvest. Curious developers can also access Farmonaut’s satellite weather and crop API to automate or scale advisory and management tools.

For developers and data integrators: Use the Farmonaut Crop API or consult our API developer documentation for seamless crop and weather insights integration.

Protect your farm’s investment: Use Farmonaut’s Crop Loan & Insurance Verification Tool to speed up financing and insurance claims using satellite crop monitoring—helping prove actual field status, minimizing delays and fraud.

Looking to track vehicle fleets and resource movement in expansive potato or mixed-crop estates? Check out our Fleet & Resource Management Solutions.

Frequently Asked Questions: Potato NDVI & Remote Sensing (Buenos Aires, 2025)