Farmers harvesting and bagging Potatoes

1. Harvesting Indices

• Maturity Period: Range between 3 – 4 months after planting depending on the variety
• Tubers harvested while still immature tend to have low dry matter content and to suffer more skin damage, resulting in easier infection by fungal and bacterial pathogens
• However, seed potatoes are often harvested early, to avoid virus infection that may occur during the latter part of the growing season

Important Notes:

• Tubers should be completely covered with soil to reduce greening and entry of potato tuber moth
• Cutting vegetative material 2 weeks before harvesting hardens the skin of tubers (dehaulming-vine killing). Hardening of skin tuber reduces damage of tubers during harvesting & post-harvest handling
• Dug potato tubers should be stored clean, dry with mature skins free from wounds, insect pests and diseases
• In order to avoid rotting, the harvested potatoes should not be washed but dusted from dirt and kept in a cool and dry place.