Blogposts

October 17, 2020 | Blogs

Breeding for desired tuber traits: Assessing traits

Most breeding programs have their own procedures and standards. Yet, they have a number of issues in common. Comparing the outcome of an assessment of a new genotype that emerges after a number of years of testing, is not done just prior to naming it as a variety but as soon as possible after the…

October 16, 2020 | Blogs

Approaches in potato breeding: objectives in different environments

Modern varieties have followed a long path before arriving at the current stage with desired traits. These are for instance a regular shape, taste, size, adaptation to the growing environment and resistance to many prevalent important pests and diseases.

October 12, 2020 | Blogs

Recording critical potato storage parameters

During storage of potatoes, the temperature, the relative humidity and the concentration of carbon dioxide are monitored. The temperature in an analog fashion, is measured with a mercury thermometer placed inside a tube placed at a certain depth in the pile with a dial at the top for easy reading.

October 05, 2020 | Blogs

Potato store loading

In potato production environments without or with limited mechanization, potatoes are picked up by hand and carried in baskets or bags to the place where they are stored in bulk. In semi-mechanized settings where part of the operations is manual, such as planting and hoeing, the tubers for trade, long-distance transport and/or long-term storage or…

September 28, 2020 | Blogs

Mechanical potato harvesting

A fully mechanized harvester lifts the tubers by chisels and places them with soil on the conveyor bed. The soil is sieved and belts convey the tubers into a hopper that is emptied into a waiting trailer. Machines without a hopper drop the harvest directly into an accompanying trailer.

September 21, 2020 | Blogs

Potato harvesting methods

Manual harvesting is done with the aid of a grubbing fork and collecting the exposed tubers in a basket or bag before storing or bringing them to the market.

September 09, 2020 | Blogs

Other people’s knowledge can help you choose the right potato storage solution

In order to avoid making wrong decisions and wrong choices when investing in a storehouse, it is sensible to consult knowledgeable and experienced advisors.

September 02, 2020 | Blogs

What you should know before buying a potato storage solution

After the purchase and installation of a storage facility, the supplier can still make a valuable contribution to storage efficiency.

August 26, 2020 | Blogs

An effective grower warms up his potatoes in the right way

Potatoes in storage, will first need to be warmed up before transport. The desired and/or optimal temperature for the delivery of potatoes on the day they leave storage for the trader, packager or factory depends on the storage temperature used up to then and the final destination. Table potatoes that are stored at 3 to…

August 24, 2020 | Blogs

Water limitation of potato crop yields at the soil and plant level

When the potato crop has just been planted, soil surface water evaporates. After emergence, the plant loses water through transpiration. The term for evaporation and transpiration added together is evapotranspiration. When over a certain period, precipitation from rain and irrigation is less than evapotranspiration, the soil loses water from its reserve.