TIME AND STAGE OF HARVEST AND HARVESTING TECHNIQUES FOR POTATO

1. TIME AND STAGE OF HARVEST AND HARVESTING TECHNIQUES FOR POTATO Next End

2. HARVESTING CARE The following harvesting care should be taken : • Follow the practice of Dehaulming [cutting of haulms / aerial parts by sickle or killing by chemicals (e.g. Gramoxone) or destroying by machines] when the crop attains 80-90 days and when the aerial part of the plant turns yellow. • Always harvest in dry weather. • Stop irrigation about two weeks before dehaulming. • Avoid bruising and skinning of tubers otherwise tubers become susceptible to rot diseases. • Harvest the crop after 10-15 days of haulm cutting. Previous Next End

3. HARVESTING OF POTATO • The potato crop should be harvested soon after it attains maturity. The time of harvesting depends on the varieties grown. Preferably harvesting should be done on bright sunny days. • The crop should be lifted when the tuber skin is hard enough to stand handling during harvest and transport from field to store. About a fortnight before harvesting, dehaulming should be done. Previous Next End

4. The cut haulms should not be left as such in the field. It should be noticed that there is no re-growth of stems after dehaulming as tender and succulent leaves are more attractive to aphids. Dehaulming is also done much a head of harvesting in case of late blight susceptible varieties to avoid late blight infection on tubers, the crops is dehaulmed when just 20-25 % of foliage is killed by late blight. Previous Next End

5. PRE-DIGGING PRACTICES Previous Next End

6. Do not harvest immature potatoes • Immature potatoes have very thin skins that rub off easily during harvest handling. • As plant maturity increases tuber yield also increases, and the tuber skin becomes thicker, tougher, and more firmly attached. Skinned areas brown and darken, allow dehydration, and are often the starting places for decay. • Harvesting before full maturity is a profitable procedure only when a premium price is paid for immature potatoes that are to be sold immediately. Previous Next End

7. Stop irrigation 2 to 3 weeks before harvest. • If frost does not kill vines or if rainfall is not a factor, this practice allows a slow decline of the vines. • This hastens and enhances skin set. Pre-harvest sprinkle dry soils. • Most soils form clods when drying. • These clods are very abrasive, causing tuber skinning and bruising during the harvest operation. • A light sprinkler irrigation softens the clods and minimizes the potential damage. Previous Next End

8. ELIMINATE VINES BEFORE DIGGING • Vines can cause mechanical difficulties in the digging operation. • They can also harbor certain insects and diseases which, if not removed, will come in contact with the tubers during harvest. • Whether chemicals, frost, or natural senescence has caused the death of vines, it is worthwhile to eliminate the vines from the top of the beds. • This can be accomplished by flaming or by using mechanical shredders or beaters. Previous Next End

9. When potatoes harvesting, use the new potatoes immediately. New potatoes are smaller and are usually only a couple of inches big. The bigger potatoes can be stored for later. Mature potatoes can be kept for as long as six months, as long as you keep them in a cool, dark place that has enough humidity. Potato can be harvested early in the month of august at slightly immature stage. But these potatoes are not suitable for long duration storage. To maintain the supply of locally produced potato for longer duration, more than 80% produce must be stored during long freezing winter season. Previous Next End

10. For storage, potato crop should be harvested at proper maturity for which irrigation should be stopped well before. • It can be achieved by harvesting the tubers 12-15 days after haulm cutting. • The produce should be kept in shady place for further cutting. • Harvesting time in the region depends upon altitude and planting time. • In most of the areas potato crop is harvested in September when weather is dry and cool. • At harvest, tubers are liable to considerable skinning, bruising and other damages, which subsequently lead to rottage if not handled properly. Previous Next End

11. DRYING The following care should be taken during drying: • Always dry the harvested tuber quickly to remove excess moisture from the surface of tubers for improving their keeping quality. • Always dry the harvested tuber in storage shed, expose to sun causes the greening of potatoes. • Do not store the tubers immediately if they are exposed to rain after harvest. Previous Next End

12. CUIRNG The following care should be taken during curing: • Always follow the curing process at 25 degree centigrade with a 95 per cent relative humidity. • For optimum suberization, curing is essential for healing the wounds of tubers resulted from cutting and bruising during harvesting Previous Next End

13. ASSESMENT • ___________ chemical was used for dehaulming of potato plant before harvesting. (Gramoxone). • Harvest the crop after _______ of haulm cutting. a). 10-15 days b). 20- 25 days c). 30 days • __________ is also done much a head of harvesting in case of late blight susceptible varieties to avoid late blight infection on tubers. (Dehaulming). • Suberization in known as healing of wounds (True / False). • Immature potatoes are suitable for long duration storage (True / False) Previous End Next

14. References: Previous