Post Harvesting Potato Care

Post Harvesting Potato Care This stage is critical for minimizing losses, preparing for market, and ensuring long storage life. a) Harvest during Cool Conditions: Harvest the crop on a cool, dry day, preferably in the morning or late afternoon, to keep tuber pulp temperature low and minimize bruising. b) Minimize Mechanical Damage: Handle tubers gently during lifting and collection. Avoid bruising and skinning as injuries serve as entry points for storage diseases and reduce storage life significantly. c) Field Curing/Drying (Temporary): After lifting, allow tubers to dry in the field only for a few hours in the shade (under haulms or canvas). Never expose tubers to direct sun for long periods, as this causes greening and reduces quality. d) Sorting and Grading: Immediately sort the potatoes, separating the following: Damaged/Cut/Diseased tubers (use immediately). Greened tubers (discard for consumption). Undersized/Oversized tubers. Grade sound tubers based on size (small, medium, large) as per market requirements. e) Curing (Wound Healing): For long-term storage, potatoes should undergo curing. This involves storing them for 10-14 days at a warm temperature (approx. 10-15°C) and high humidity (approx. 90-95%). This heals minor wounds and toughens the skin. f) Storage Preparation: Store disease-free, fully cured tubers in a dark, cool, and well-ventilated area (or a certified cold storage). For indigenous storage (e.g., heap storage), cover the piles with thick Paddy/Wheat Straw to protect against the Potato Tuber Moth (PTM) and light.