Post-Harvest Handling

of Durable Crops

Potato
Bat 3- E - Group 11

Submitted by: June Arcinas

ArjhonRabal
Lila Grace Cercado
Submitted to: Prof. Helen Cogama
INTRODUCTION
The potato is a starchy, tuberouscrop from the
perennialnightshadeSolanumtuberosum. The word "potato" may refer either
to the plant itself or to the edible tuber. [2] In the Andes, where the species is
indigenous, some other closely related species are cultivated. Potatoes were
introduced to Europe in the second half of the 16th century by the Spanish.

Potato plants are herbaceous perennials that grow about 60 cm (24 in) high,
depending on variety, with the leaves dying back after flowering, fruiting and
tuber formation. They bear white, pink, red, blue, or purple flowers with yellow
stamens. In general, the tubers of varieties with white flowers have white skins,
while those of varieties with colored flowers tend to have pinkish skins. [16]
Potatoes are mostly cross-pollinated by insects such as bumblebees, which carry
pollen from other potato plants, though a substantial amount of self-fertilizing
occurs as well. Tubers form in response to decreasing day length, although this
tendency has been minimized in commercial varieties
Commercial Postharvest Handling of
Potatoes (Solanumtuberosum)
The potato tuber is a shortened, enlarged, underground stem. Eighty percent of the potato
tuber is water, with the remainder being carbohydrate, protein, ash, and fat. Potatoes are
living organisms that respire, using oxygen and giving off carbon dioxide, moisture, and
heat.

Harvesting
Three key conditions should be met in order to minimize harvest injury: 1) apply
chemical vine killer two weeks before harvest, 2) harvest when soil conditions are dry,
and 3) avoid harvesting in the late fall, when soil and air temperatures are below 45
degrees F. Killing vines before harvest allows them to dry thoroughly and allows time for
pathogens to die, reducing the chances of transporting them into storage. It also allows
for tuber skin maturation, reducing skinning and bruising. Harvesting when soils are dry
decreases bruising due to soil clods and transport of soil into storage where it can block
air circulation through the potato pile. Harvesting at temperatures below 45 degrees F
will injure potatoes more than at higher temperatures. Avoid harvesting when
temperatures are above 60 degrees F to minimize water loss and shrinkage.

One of the biggest problems to be controlled during harvest and handling is bruising.
When bruising occurs in the early stages of postharvest handling, the potatoes get nicked
and become breeding grounds for microorganisms, allowing them to spread rapidly and
cause serious losses. To prevent bruising, inspect and adjust harvesting equipment
frequently. Reduce drop heights, bouncing, and rolling by padding impact areas and
adjust contact surfaces.

Tubers are usually conveyed from the harvesters into dump trucks or bins. When
transporting tubers from the field to the packing shed, cover the load with a tarp to reduce
exposure to high temperatures and sunlight. Exposure to light can cause greening.

If harvesting by hand, be careful not to nick potatoes with your digger. Carefully transfer
tubers into bins, shade bins, then transport to your packing shed.

After harvest, potatoes are dormant for 6 to 12 weeks, depending on variety and storage
temperatures. After the dormancy period, potatoes may begin to sprout after 2 to 3
months in storage. High storage temperatures will induce earlier sprouting. To avoid
sprouting, you can apply a sprout inhibitor, such as chloroisopropyl-N phenylcarbamate
(CIPC) or maleic hydrazide. They should not be used on seed potatoes. CIPC is applied
as a gas after curing is completed. Maleic hydrazide is applied in the field during late full
bloom to postbloom, and needs to be transported from the leaves to the tubers to be
effective.

Storage
Before storage, potatoes should be culled and cured. Cull and discard any damaged,
diseased or frozen tubers. Curing potatoes heals the skin, making it less susceptible to
damage and disease. Cure potatoes by exposing them to temperatures between 50 and 60
degrees F and 95% relative humidity for 10 to 14 days.

Potatoes are either stored in refrigerated warehouses or nonrefrigerated bulk bins up to 20

feet deep. In the bulk bins, air should be forced from the floor through corrugated metal
ducts up through the pile. This ensures good distribution of cool, humid air, which
decreases shrinkage, sprouting, and decay. For table stock, ventilate at 0.6 to 0.7 cubic
meters per minute per ton. For chipping stock, use 0.8 to 1 cubic meter per minute per
ton. If airflow is too high, the relative humidity surrounding the potatoes may drop,
causing weight loss. Air-cooled storage rooms may also be used, but you must ensure that
night temperatures are low enough to keep your storage room cool and high enough to
prevent freezing.

Hold table potatoes at 38 to 40 degrees F, decreasing field temperature 5 degrees per

week to the desired storage temperature. Store processing potatoes at 50 to 55 degrees F,
although Russet Burbank for processing can be stored at 45 degrees F. Cool processing
potatoes to the final storage temperature at a rate of 3 to 4 degrees per week. Processing
potatoes stored below 40 degrees F will build up sugars that will cause the flesh to turn
brown or black when fried. Once the desired holding temperature is reached, keep the
temperature differential about 2 degrees F between the top and bottom of the pile. Do not
allow potatoes to remain at temperatures below 30 degrees F, or freezing injury will
occur, leading to rot. For all types of potatoes, storage humidity should be 95%, but avoid
moisture condensation on tubers and storage walls and ceilings. When diseases such as
late blight and Pythium leak are severe, maintain lower humidity during storage and
ensure good air circulation.

Packaging
When ready for market, potatoes can be packed into perforated plastic bags that will help
retain moisture but provide for air circulation and proper cooling during transport.
Potatoes can also be packed into cardboard boxes with ventilation holes.
Mechanical and Physiological Disorders
Besides sprouting, potato disorders include:

Disorder Symptoms Control

surface turns green with light
Greening minimize exposure to light
treatment
sharply defined, purplish-grey to provide good air circulation to prevent
Black heart black area in center or cavities due to heating and oxygen deprivation; avoid
oxygen starvation chilling injury
Chilling gray to red-brown areas or black
store tubers above 37 degrees F
injury heart
Freezing vascular tissue turns black and tubers
store tubers above 37 degrees F
injury leak when thawed
minimize bruising; warm to 60 degrees
internal black spots due to bruising;
Blackspot F before grading
can cause shatter in some potatoes

Diseases
Postharvest diseases include the following:

Disease Casual agent Symptoms

brown, firm, sunken flesh; sunken and wrinkled
Dry rot Fusarium spp.
surfaces with blue or white protuberances
soft, water cavities in flesh, foul smell; in non-
Soft rot Erwiniacarotovora russeted varieties, shallow, round lesions around
lenticels
oozing tubers; well defined areas between healthy
Leak Pythium and diseased flesh; pink then black flesh with
granular, mushy rot
Late
Phytophthorainfestans small, shrunken, dark spots in flesh; foul smell
blight
Ring rot Cornybacteriumsepedonicum vascular ring y

VARIETIES OF POTATOES
Yukon Gold potatoes have finely flaked yellowish-white skin with light yellow flesh. They’re
bright, vegetal and slightly sweet, with a smooth, slightly waxy texture and moist flesh. They’re
best for boiling, baking and making French fries. They’ll also stand up well to grilling, pan frying
and roasting

Purple Peruvian potatoes have deep purple skin and flesh. The flesh is either uniform
throughout or marbled with white and deep, inky purple. They’re earthy and slightly nutty, with
an almost buttery aftertaste. They have a dry and starchy texture and are best for boiling,
baking, roasting, frying and grilling, although they should work in all dishes and preparations.

Idaho Russet potatoes are russet-skinned with white flesh. They’re what we typically imagine
when we think of potatoes. They have a neutral potato flavor, a fluffy, creamy and soft texture,
and are best for baking, mashing and making French fries. They’re also very absorbent, so are
great paired with butter and cream — think mashed potatoes. Just don’t try using Idaho Russets
for potato salads, gratins or any dish that requires the potatoes to hold their shape.

Katahdin potatoes are your French fry potatoes. They have smooth skin with yellowish flesh,
and a classic potato flavor. They’re fluffy, creamy, smooth and soft, and best for boiling, baking
and, most importantly, making French fries. They’re not great for potato salads, gratins potatoes
or any dish that requires the potatoes to hold their shape.

Red Bliss potatoes have bright red skin with creamy white flesh. They’re slightly bitter,
and have a firm, moist and waxy texture. They’re best for soups, stews, boiling, roasting,
potato salad and casseroles, and worst for mashing.

New potatoes-waxy are defined as any type of potato that’s harvested young, before its sugars
have fully converted to starch. You can get many different types of them. They’re small and
round with thin skin, and depending on the type, they may vary in color. They’re sweet, firm,
creamy and very waxy. Use them for boiling, steaming, roasting or in soups, but don’t use them
for baking.

Adirondack Blue potatoes have purple skin and bright blue-purple flesh that fades to a shade of
blue when mashed, and deepens in shade when roasted. They have an earthy, rich and nutty
flavor, and a firm, creamy and apple-like texture. They’re great for mashing, baking, boiling,
steaming, potato salads, casseroles or gratins, and worst for soups.
Adirondack Red potatoes have red skin with pink to red flesh that’s either opaque or in a
starburst pattern. Their color fades with boiling, but fades only slightly to a shade of mauve after
other methods of cooking. They’re slightly sweet, with a moist, meaty and waxy texture. Use
them for boiling, mashing, pan frying and microwaving, but don’t use them in soups.

Fingerlings are two to three inches long and thin (finger-shaped, duh) with thin, buff-yellow skin
and light yellow flesh. Their flavor is mild, nutty and earthy, and their texture firm and moist.
They’re great for boiling, baking, roasting and potato salads, and bad for soups

Granola potatoes are oblong with yellow skin and yellow flesh. They have a strong,
classic potato flavor with earthy and buttery notes. They have a firm, creamy and waxy
texture, and are best for grilling, roasting, boiling, steak fries, potato salads, casseroles
and gratins. Don’t use them in soups.

Inca Gold potatoes have golden skin, yellow flesh and a round dumpling shape. Their
earthy and nutty flavor and creamy, smooth and firm texture makes them great for
roasting, mashing, boiling, potato salads, casseroles and gratins. They’re worst for soups.
Rose Gold potatoes have rose-red skin and yellow flesh. They’re mild and earthy, firm and
moist, and best for baking, steaming, boiling, potato salads, casseroles and gratins. Just don’t try
to mash these guys.

Purple Viking potatoes are small in size with dark purple skin and white flesh. They’re meaty,
slightly sweet and buttery, and have a creamy and moist texture. They’re best for baking,
roasting, boiling, potato salads, casseroles and gratins, and worst for soups.
 FERTILIZING POTATOES

For a rewarding potato crop, the plants must make a rapid, healthy start.

There are a couple of good ways to add the extra nutrients at planting time to supplement
the natural fertility of your soil. Choose a balanced commercial fertilizer, such as 5-10-10
or 10-10-10, or use compost or organic fertilizer.

Broadcast Your Fertilizer

Broadcasting is an easy way to spread the fertilizer over your planting area. Use about a
12-quart pail of 5-10-10 per 1,000 square feet of garden soil. Walk over the area,
scattering the fertilizer uniformly by hand, then work it into the top three to four inches of
soil with a rake or tiller.

Alternately, wait until planting time. Before you place the seed pieces in the row, put
down a small handful or two of compost every 10 or 12 inches, along with a small
handful of superphosphate (0-20-0) or bonemeal (2-11-0). Both these fertilizers are high
in phosphorus, which helps potato roots develop quickly.

The Best Place for Fertilizer

Next, cover the fertilizer with a couple of inches of soil. Looking down the row after this
step you'll see small mounds every foot or so. When you plant each seed piece, put it at
the edge of the fertilizer but not directly over it. Research has shown that the best
placement for fertilizer is two inches to the side and slightly below the seed piece. While
you don't have to be precise about this, it's vital to keep the seed pieces from coming into
contact with any commercial fertilizer, such as superphosphate or 10-10-10 if you use it.
The fertilizer will burn the tender new roots that come in contact with it.

Don't use fresh manure as a fertilizer on your potato patch, because it often contains scab-
causing organisms. Old, thoroughly composted or decomposed barnyard manures are
usually fine, though.
 TIPS ON HOW TO PLANT POTATOES SUCCESSFULLY

Choose variety carefully

Let flavor, color and length of growing season guide your picks. Favorite varieties of
Holm, Essah and the Rockeys include Colorado Rose, Desiree, or Sangre red potatoes;
Nicola or Carola yellow potatoes; Purple Majesty or Midnight Moon purple potatoes, and
all-around great russets Canela or Sierra russets.

Short-season potatoes are excellent for gardeners at altitude.

“Those mountain gardeners have the advantage of warm days and cool nights,” said
Holm. “The potato plant is a factory, taking carbon dioxide and sunlight and converting it
to sugar. When temperatures drop at night, it stores it in the tubers, giving them higher-
quality solids.” What that means in the frying pan is, such potatoes lose less water, so
they’ll take up less oil and have a healthier nutrient profile.

Use seed potatoes

Get good, healthy seed stock, not grocery-store potatoes, for the healthiest plants. Let
your seed potatoes sit indoors, in medium light, until they develop stocky sprouts from
the eyes. Cut the larger potatoes, leaving at least one eye per two-inch square, and let the
cuts skin over for a day before planting. If the seed potato is smaller than an egg, plant it
whole.

Plant them now

Mid-April through mid-May is ideal potato-planting time. The soil has warmed above 45
degrees, and you’ve got time for the plants to grow plump tubers.

First, it’s good to know what crop was in that spot last. Legumes such as beans or peas
leave behind nitrogen that potatoes love. If these veggies were planted in your potato
patch last year, go easy on fertilization. It’s a good idea to get a soil test done to
determine how much available nitrogen you have.

Build a ridge of loose soil, approximately 6 inches tall, then push the seed 4 to 5 inches
deep into the ridge. Space rows 34 inches apart and space the plants 12 to 14 inches apart.
Fingerling potatoes can be closer — 9 to 12 inches apart.

As they grow, you’ll hill them up. Just as the potato sprout noses up from the earth, pull
the soil up and over the plant, covering it with 7 to 8 inches of soil for a total of 12 inches
above the seed. You only need to do this once.
Care and feeding

With potatoes, you need to stay on top of irrigation, checking plants to be sure they aren’t
waterlogged. Smaller types take 12 inches of water per season; larger spuds will need 16.

Managing nitrogen is crucial to success with potatoes, Essah says. “Too much and you
get a lot of top growth at the expense of tubers.” But he also has a secret that makes
feeding potatoes easier: It’s all in the timing.

Using his secret involves calculating how much nitrogen your plants need. Each plant
only needs a total of one-fifth ounce total nitrogen for the whole season. Go with granular
nitrogen to make it easy to measure. For an organic alternative, try Acton, a product the
Rockeys developed to provide all the nutrients and beneficial microbes the potato plant
needs to thrive.

Essah’s formula is to mix 60 percent of the total amount of nitrogen the plant needs into
the soil of the ridge before the seed potato is planted.

Then, about six to seven weeks later, split the remaining nitrogen into two or three
applications, approximately two weeks apart. Feeding your plant more nitrogen, too soon,
delays tuber set, which means you get a smaller crop of potatoes to enjoy.

To fine-tune the timing on later feedings, check each plant to ensure that tubers have set
and and are sizing up by “tickling” them. Reach into the soil and gently feel around the
plant’s roots to see if tubers are growing. You want them to be the size of a cherry or
larger.

Practice good weed control. The best way is to pluck out weeds by hand, not with a hoe
or other weeder, to avoid damaging the baby potatoes.

Get ready to harvest

Often, this is 3 to 4 months from when you planted the slips. Usually, sweet potatoes
are ready to harvest when the leaves and ends of the vines have started turning to
yellow, but you can leave them in the ground up until the fall frost

Potatoes are pretty plants. But to reap your harvest, you’ve got to kill the vines.

To tell if they’re ready, count the days required to maturity of your potato variety (here’s
where keeping good garden records helps, but you can also look the variety up online).
Then — because plants don’t read websites or labels, tickle up a plant or two to see if the
spuds are the size you want. If you’re the impatient sort, see what your records say for
your variety about harvesting “new” potatoes. You can always harvest one plant and
leave the rest to continue to get bigger.

Chop off vines 14 to 20 days before you want to dig your potatoes, marking the date you
did it on the calendar (you’d be surprised what a gardener can forget during the frenzy of
harvest). Potato skins toughen up once vines die, which helps them store longer and stand
up to a bit of handling.

Market Forms of Potatoes

1. Baked Potato
2. Loaded Baked Potato
3. Mashed Potato
4. French Fries
5. Curly Fries
6. Waffle Fries
7. Steak Fries
8. Potato Wedges
9. Roasted Potato
10. Potato Chips
11. Potato Soup
12. Cheesy Potato
Common Disease of Potato
Black dot is caused by the fungus Colletotrichumcoccodes (plant pathogen) and although a
mild disease it is one of the most problematic blemish diseases of washed, pre-packed
potatoes.
Symptoms
Black dot takes its name from the tiny jet black microsclerotia that are just visible to the
naked eye both on the blemish and on stem and stolen lesions late in the season.

Symptoms are usually seen later in the season and are present on stems, stolons and
roots, however this does not necessarily lead to tuber disease. Vascular disease can
lead to stem girdling and resulting in foliar wilt that can be confused with other wilt
diseases. The disease can cause early senescence. 

Tuber symptoms are present at harvest. Affected skin initially appears light brown to
unblemished, but with dots. Later unsightly dark brown patches can develop.

WateryWound Rot or Leak is a vigorous rot of lifted tubers caused by the

fungus Pythiumultimum. It is widespread and common but only occasionally serious in a
crop.
Symptoms
Affected flesh can be discoloured grey through to brown with a dark margin. It is moist
and quickly liquefies. A fresh cut can smell alcoholic or, if more advanced, fishy. Tubers
can end up entirely liquefied in a bag of skin but sometimes an inner rot does not spread
outward beyond the vascular ring leaving hollowed remnants of cortex. Pythium mycelia
are not seen by the naked eye. Secondary infections are extremely likely and can
confound diagnosis.
Conditions
This pathogen is common in soil but requires damage to allow pathogen entry. Warm
harvests exacerbate the problem.

Control
Serious outbreaks are hard to predict but certainly avoid fields with a history of the
disease. Ensure a good skin set and avoid harvesting in wet conditions, especially if also
warm. Minimise harvest damage. Dry curing, positive ventilation and rapid temperature
pull down inhibit the spread of disease
Gangrene is a slow growing fungal disease of stored potatoes favoured by cool
climates.

Symptoms
The first symptoms of gangrene are small round dark depressions that may appear dark
grey to brown. These grow to resemble thumb impressions and may coalesce and
overlap, leaving ridges in between. Wrinkles tend to stretch across rather than the
concentric rings expected with dry rots. There is no outward eruption of mycelial growth
unless a secondary infection is involved. The external size of the lesion is no indicator of
internal damage as there might be little penetration or extensive cavitation. White or
yellow mycelial growth can be seen on the inner surfaces of these cavities. Gangrene
rots are frequently very dark and have a sharp border against healthy tissue. Clusters of
small black spore bodies called Pycnidia, are diagnostic but they are not always present.

Conditions
Problems might be expected where harvesting is delayed by cold and wet weather but
no plant symptoms can indicate the likelihood of symptom development. Damage is by
far the most common initiator of the infection and it is often easy to locate the original
wound. Gangrene would be expected to occur in colder storage conditions where there
has been inadequate curing.

Control
Limiting handling damage is the best prevention. Earlier harvesting and dry curing will
also help avoid issues. Fungicides thiabendazole and imazalil sprayed post harvest are
effective and annual store cleaning programmes will prevent spores bridging one
season’s problem to the next.