Potato and Tuber Crops

Post-harvest Handling

Curing

• Freshly harvested tubers are kept in a cool place under shade or in heaps at 1.5 meters height and 3.5 meters broad for 10 days to further cure the skin of tubers.
• Heaps are covered with paddy or wheat straw to protect from direct sunlight.
• If it rains, the heaps should be provided with tarpaulins.
• More time for curing may be required in heavy treatment soil as compared to sandy loam.

Grading

• Seed size tubers should be graded with the help of mechanical graders for ease and efficiency (Shyam and Singh, 1979). Cut and crack tubers should be sorted out.

Seed treatment

• Treatment of seed tuber with 0.25 organomercurial compound (OMC) against surface-borne diseases by soaking for 20 minutes has been recommended.
• For successful treatment, they are first washed in water to remove the adherent soil and then dipped in OMC solution for 20 minutes.
• Boric acid (3 per cent) has also been found effective for control of surface borne diseases (Jagpal Singh, 1993).
• After treatment, tubers are dried well before storage.