POST HARVEST PROFILE OF POTATO - Agmarknet

Raised sand / soil platform of height of at least 0.2-0.25 mt.Spray Mancozeb (0.3-0.5% solution) on the soil/sand at storage site which helpsin reduction of rotting during storage.Remove cracked, cut, bruished, damaged, green and rotted tubers before storing.Use always the polythene sheet for covering the heaps, which protects the heapsfrom rains.Cover the heaped potatoes with 0.3 mt-0.45 mt. straw material (wheat, paddy),placing two layers of locally made mat (chatai) in crosswise direction whichimproves the efficiency of heap storage.Loading of potatoes may be done in the morning since the temperature is low incomparison to noon.c) Pit storage:This is a traditional method of storage. In thisstorage system, two types of pits are prepared i.e. katchhaand pucca pits. Katchha pit is rectangular in shapemeasures 4.5 mt. (length) x 3.6 mt. (width) x 14 mt.(depth)*whereas pucca pit is normally circular in shape with adiameter of about 4.2 mt. All the pits are covered with 0.3mt. thick available straw material (wheat, paddy). It is apopular storage method in Madhya Pradesh. The followingrecommendations are fallows for safe storage:Pit StorageFollow all cultural practices, recommendations applicable in heap storagemethod.Always store disease free and cured potatoes.Measure the soil moisture level for determinations of depth of pit.Keep the length and width of the pit according to the quantity of potatoes to bestored.Maintain an average 25.6 o C of temperature and 66 percent relative humidity.d) Wooden storage structure :In this system, small wooden rooms likestores about 10 ft. heights are built in the field ornear residential area. The walls of the store are builtby horizontally fixed overlapping wooden plankswhich help in preventing seepage in store andrunning off the rain water. The roof of the store iscovered with tin sheet and a gap is left between roofand wall for aeration purpose.Wooden storage structure* Ref – Traditional methods of Potato storage in changing scenario, Indian Farming Institute, August, 2002.32