Detailed Explanation of Key Potato Storage Management Techniques

The summer potato harvest coincides with the high-temperature season. After harvest, the tubers can be piled for pre-storage in a cool, ventilated indoor space, cellar, or shade shed. The pile is generally no higher than 0.5 m and no wider than 2 m. An appropriate amount of ventilation pipes is placed in the pile to allow ventilation and cooling, and straw curtains are used to block light. During the pre-storage period, the pile should be checked frequently according to weather conditions, and rotten tubers removed.

1. Trench storage In the Luda area of Liaoning, potatoes are harvested in mid-July and pre-stored in shade sheds or empty rooms until they are put into trenches for storage in October. The trench is 1-1.2 m deep, 1-1.5 m wide, and of unlimited length. The tubers are piled to 0.2 m from the ground surface, then covered with soil for insulation. The total thickness of the soil cover is about 0.8 m, and it should be applied in several rounds as the temperature drops. The tubers in the trench must not be piled too high; otherwise, the temperature at the bottom and in the middle of the trench tends to be too high, and the tubers may heat up and rot.

2. Cellar storage In the northwest region, well cellars or cave cellars are mostly used for storage. Each cellar can store 3000-3500 kg. Since only the cellar opening is used to regulate temperature through ventilation, the insulation effect is relatively good. In northern Liaoning, Jilin, Heilongjiang, and other places, shed cellars are mostly used for storage.

3. Ventilated warehouse storage Generally, the pile height does not exceed 2 m, and ventilation tubes are placed inside the pile. Some are stored in baskets stacked in rows, which makes management easier and increases warehouse capacity. Some have wooden cabinets set up inside the warehouse, which provides good ventilation and high storage capacity, but requires wood and has high costs. No matter which storage method is used, a certain gap should be left around the potato pile to facilitate ventilation and heat dissipation.

4. Chemical treatment In various places in the south, it is difficult to create a low-temperature environment in summer and autumn. After the potato dormancy period ends, sprouting causes serious losses. To inhibit sprouting, treatment with methyl alpha-naphthaleneacetate or ethyl alpha-naphthaleneacetate can be used, with an obvious sprout-inhibiting effect. For every 10 t of tubers, use 0.4-0.5 kg of the chemical, add 15-30 kg of fine soil to make a powder, and sprinkle it into the potato pile. This should be done around the middle of dormancy and not too late, otherwise the efficacy will be reduced. MH also has a sprout-inhibiting effect on potatoes, but it needs to be sprayed in the field during the tuber bulking period. The concentration used is 0.3%-0.5%, sprayed 3-4 weeks before the suitable harvest time. If rain occurs, an appropriate re-spray should be given.

5. Radiation treatment Using gamma rays at 2.064-3.87 C/kg (8-15 kR) to irradiate potatoes has an obvious sprout-inhibiting effect. This is currently one of the better techniques for inhibiting sprouting in stored potatoes. At the same dose, the higher the dose rate, the more obvious the effect. Irradiated potatoes can be stored well for several months at room temperature.