Potato Losses and Mechanical Damage by potato Diggers in the fereidan Region of Isfahan

摘要

Any mechanical force exerted on a potato tuber during the harvesting may result in mechanical damage. A few weeks prior to harvesting, haulm destruction could improve the rheological properties of the tuber and reduce its susceptibility to mechanical damage. The effects of elevator and oscillatory sieve diggers and haulm destruction on potato loss and mechanical damage were studied on a farmer field in Fereidan region of Isfahan. Two haulm management treatments (destruction and non-destruction) along with five potato diggers (elevator digger with a long main web and with agitator, elevator digger with primary and secondary webs and with agitator, elevator digger with a main web and with/without agitator, and reciprocating riddle digger) were laid out in a strip block design within a randomized complete block design with four replications. The main crop variety, namely Marfona, was planted in the field.