Potato seed tubers storage under high altitude conditions of Kaghan valley.

摘要

A study was conducted on potato storage used for seed purposes under high altitude conditions for a total period of 7 months to improve the local storage methods for minimizing the losses during storage in potato cv. Cardnal seed tubers. Three different pit sizes, i.e. 4.8x1.5 m, 4.1x1.2 m and 3.80x1.0 m, were compared with the local practice of pit of traditional size with a top of 4 m and a lower surface of 1.5 m. The quantity used in these pits were one, 1/2 and 1/4 t in pit sizes of 4.8x1.5 m, 4.1x1.2 m and 3.8x1.0 m, respectively. Before placing the seeds in pits, it was sorted out and seed size tubers were selected. The losses recorded among different pit sizes showed significant differences compared to the control. Heavy losses of 30% was recorded from the local method of pit storage compared to the newly introduced sizes which were 2.4, 2.7 and 3.2% in 4.8x1.5 m, 4.1x1.2 m and 3.8x1.0 m, respectively. Within the new sizes, the mean values measured in percentage revealed no significant differences. The management practices, which included postharvest tuber handling and sorting seed size tubers, revealed significant decreases in seed potato tuber losses in storage. A pit size of 4.1x1.2 m with a 1/2 t seed potato storage capacity was the most economical with 1089.5 MROR..