POTATO SEED TUBER PRODUCTION

IRODUCTION OF POTATO
The potato is a starchy, tuberous crop from the perennial Solanum tuberosum of the Solanaceae family (also known as the nightshades). The word potato may refer to the plant itself as well as the edible tuber. In the region of the Andes, there are some other closely related cultivated potato species. Potatoes were first introduced outside the Andes region four centuries ago, and have become an integral part of much of the world's cuisine. It is the world's fourth-largest food crop, following rice, wheat, and maize. Long-term storage of potatoes requires specialised care in cold warehouses. Wild potato species occur throughout the Americas, from the United States to Uruguay. The potato was originally believed to have been domesticated independently in multiple locations, but later genetic testing of the wide variety of cultivars and wild species proved a singleorigin for potatoes in the area of present-day southern Peru and extreme northwestern Bolivia, where they were domesticated 7,00010,000 years ago. Following centuries of selective breeding, there are now over a thousand different types of potatoes. Of these subspecies, a variety that at one point grew in the Chilo Archipelago (the potato's south-central Chilean sub-center of origin) left its germplasm on over 99% of the cultivated potatoes worldwide. Following the Spanish conquest of the Inca Empire, the Spanish introduced the potato to Europe in the second half of the 16th century. The staple was subsequently conveyed by European mariners to territories and ports throughout the world. The potato was slow to be adopted by distrustful European farmers, but soon enough it became an important food staple and field crop that played a major role in the European 19th century population boom.However, lack of genetic diversity, due to the very limited number of varieties initially introduced, left the crop vulnerable to disease. In 1845, a plant disease known as late blight, caused by the fungus-like oomycete Phytophthora infestans, spread rapidly through the poorer communities of western Ireland, resulting in the crop failures that led to the Great Irish Famine. Thousands of varieties still persist in the Andes however, where over 100 cultivars might be found in a single valley, and a dozen or more might be maintained by a single agricultural household. Besides the need of ensuring proper genetic diversity of a crop, it also underscores the need of depending on several staple crops, and to preferably choose staple crops that are endemic and thus adapted to the local environment. The annual diet of an average global citizen in the first decade of the 21st century included about 33 kg (73 lb) of potato. However, the local importance of potato is extremely variable and rapidly changing. It remains an essential crop in Europe (especially eastern and central Europe), where per capita production is still the highest in the world, but the most rapid expansion over the past few decades has occurred in southern and eastern Asia. China

is now the world's largest potato-producing country, and nearly a third of the world's potatoes are harvested in China and India.

Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae (unranked): Angiosperms (unranked): Eudicots (unranked): Asterids Order: Solanales Family: Solanaceae Genus: Solanum Species: S. tuberosum Binomial name: Solanum tuberosum L.

FLORAL STRACTURE AND BIOLOGY

Flowers have many different shapes and sizes, and there are many variations in colour, number of flower parts and the arrangements of these parts. Flowers are the reproductive parts of plants which are responsible for the production of gametes (sex cells). After fusion of the male and female gametes a zygote is produced which develops into an embryo within the seed. This seed gives rise to a new flowering plant of the same kind. Generally, a flower consists of four whorls, which are a ring of leaves, viz.

the calyx on the outside; the corolla lying inside the calyx; the stamens enclosed by the corolla, and the pistil in the center of the flower.

The Calyx. The calyx is the outermost whorl of a flower. It consists of sepals, that are green. The sepals may be free from each other in the same flowers of some plants or fused to form a cup in flowers of other plants. Functions

The calyx encloses and protects the inner whorls in the bud stage. Since the sepals contain chlorophyll, they can also synthesize food.

The Corolla. The corolla is found on the inside of the calyx and is the most conspicuous part in the flower because it is usually white/brightly coloured . This whorl is made up of petals which are much larger than sepals. The petals may be separate from each other or become partly/ completely fused. If the petals are completely fused they form a corolla tube. The calyx and corolla together are called theperianth . Functions

The brightly-coloured corolla attracts agents of pollination such as insects and birds. The corolla encloses and protects the stamens and pistil.

The Stamens. The stamens form the third whorl on the inside of the corolla. Each stamen is made up of a slender flexible filament which supports the anther at its end. The anther is the male reproductive organ in a flower. Functions

The anther produces pollen grains which contain the male reproductive cells;< The filament bears and supports the anther in the most suitable position for pollen transfer to take place.

The Pistils. The pistil is the fourth and the innermost whorl of the flower. It consists of a basal, swollen portion, the ovary, from which a long and slender style arises. The stigma is found at the tip of the style. The pistil is the female reproductive organ. Functions

The ovary is a hollow cavity which contains the ovules. Each ovule contains an egg cell. The elongated style bears the stigma in the most suitable position for receiving pollen during pollination. The sticky stigma at the tip of the style can receive or trap the pollen grains.

The stamens and pistils usually occur in the same flower. These are essential whorls. A flower bearing both the essential whorls is bisexual. Sometimes a flower has only the stamens or only the pistils, in which case it is referred to as a unisexual flower (i.e. the flower bears only one of the essential organs).

The calyx and the corolla are referred to as the non-essential whorls , since they are not responsible for the formation of gametes and seeds. This formation can occur in the absence of the outer whorls. A flower in which all four whorls are present is said to be a complete flower. If any one of the non-essential whorls is not present, the flower is incomplete.

Dicotyledonous Flower Structure of a Dicotyledonous flower e.g. the Potato (Solanum tuberosum)

The Solanum tuberosum plant is fairly widely distributed. It grows very well in disturbed areas. The plants are shrubs/herbs with opposite leaves. Its flowers are large, bisexual and arranged on an inflorescence described as a cyme. Other good examples are the Petunia and Hibiscus. General characteristics of the Potato flower 1. the floral parts are regular their arrangement; 2. the flowers are bisexual, i.e. the stamens (male parts) and the pistil (female parts) are on the same flower; 3. the flower consists of the four basic whorls (calyx, corolla, stamens and pistil) and each whorl is composed of five parts. The Floral whorls

1. the calyx is large in relation to other parts. The parts, sepals, are five in number and are joined by a calyx tube. They are green due to the presence of chlorophyll. 2. the corolla consists of five petals which are joined at the base by a short corolla tube. The corolla is brightly purple which attracts insects for pollination. 3. the stamens form the male whorl or androecium. There are five stamens, each arising opposite a corolla segment. the pistil is the female whorl/gynoecium. It has a single stigma, a single style and a single ovary. The ovary is superior (i.e. it is situated above the other floral whorls on the receptacle).

Although the majority of the world is currently fed by three major food grains-wheat, corn, and rice-the fourth major food staple is the white potato. A freshly harvested potato contains almost 80% water and 17% starch; the remaining 3% is protein, and only 0.1% is fat. Potatoes are consumed fried, mashed, or baked. In addition to being an important food, potatoes are also the source of starch for the manufacture of adhesives and alcohol, including many vodkas. Today, Europe and the former Soviet Union produce 70% of the world potato crop, followed by China, Poland, and the United States The United States produces 21.7 million metric tons of potatoes annually, mainly in Idaho and Washington, which amounts to 4% of the world potato crop.

The white potato, Solanum tuberosum, is an annual with alternate phylotaxy and pinnately compound leaves; its fruit is a berry. S. tuberosum is in the Solanaceae, a family of dicots composed of about 90 genera and almost 3,000 species. Members of the Solanaceae include the tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum); paprika, chilies, green peppers, and red peppers (all of the genus Capsicum); ornamentals such as petunia (Petunia sp.); the tobacco plant (Nicotiana); and the notoriously poisonous plants belladonna (Atropa belladonna) and jimson weed (Datura stramonium). The Solanaceae family is also commonly known as the deadly nightshade family because of its poisonous members. This family stigma caused many people to resist growing the Typical Solanaceae flower potato as a human food, so it was first used for animal feed only. The potato is a tuber, a modified underground stem that stores starch and fo rms at the tip of a stolon. The tuber is the only edible part of the plant, and it should be cooked before being eaten because heat destroys the many toxic substances found on and just under its skin. The most abundant alkaloid is solanin, C45H73NO15, a poisonous glycoalkaloid that is found especially in the aerial portion of S. tuberosum as well as in the skin of the tuber. Alkaloids are a major class of natural products that have a physiological effect in other organisms. They characteristically contain carbon, hydrogen, nitrogen, and in many cases, oxygen. Because of their potent pharmacological effects, alkaloids are the basis for many drugs.

Starch grains in Solanum tuberosum tuber cells

The origins of S. tuberosum can be traced as far back as 8,000 years ago when the Incan civilization extending along the west coast of South America collected potatoes growing at elevations of about 12,000 feet. The potato was introduced to Europe about 1580 by Spanish colonists, who used it as a food source on their return voyages from the New World. But although S. tuberosum is native to the Andean highlands from Colombia to Chile, nowhere was the potato more readily accepted, established as a major crop, and relied upon than in

Ireland. The climate and soil in Ireland are ideal for growing the potato, and it dominated as a dietary staple for Irish peasants from the latter portion of the seventeenth century to the first half of the nineteenth century. S. tuberosum was so important to the Irish that historians link the Irish population increase from 1.5 million to over 8.5 million in 80 years (1760-1840) to the existence of a reliable food source. The potato was a blessing especially for the peasant, as even small plots of land could produce enough of the tuber to sustain a family. It is estimated Drawing of Solanum tuberosum that the average Irish adult consumed up to 12 pounds of potatoes every day. However, in August of 1845, the fungus Phytophthora infestans made its debut in Ireland, devastating the potato crops. This pathogen was the mark of the "Irish potato famine," also referred to as the "great potato blight." The fungus attacked leaves and stems, making photosynthesis impossible as the organs blackened and abscised. The fungus attacked the tuber not only underground, but even after harvest and in storage. As a result, over 1 million Irish people had died of starvation by 1849, and an additional 1.5 million emigrated to other countries, mainly the United States. Within the past 10 years, 140 years after P. infestans devastated the Irish potato crops, farmers in the United States and Canada report attacks on their crops by fungicideresistant strains. Within the past nearly 20 years, the fungus has also been reported in Europe and the Middle and Far East. As a result of this potential threat, in March of 1996 the International Potato Center in Lima, Peru, called for a global initiative to combat the fungus Traditional propagation of the potato is accomplished by planting a section of the tuber with an "eye" (an undeveloped bud) from which a new plant will grow. However, new varieties of potato are now being produced from seed, and the potato has been one of the genetically engineered foods added to our diets since about 1994. In 1998, Monsanto, a biotechnology company based in Missouri, marketed a potato called "New Leaf Superior." It has been genetically modified to produce a protein in the leaves that is toxic to the Colorado potato beetle, a most destructive pest of potato crops

Although the majority of the world is currently fed by three major food grains-wheat, corn, and rice-the fourth major food staple is the white potato. A freshly harvested potato contains almost 80% water and 17% starch; the remaining 3% is protein, and only 0.1% is

fat. Potatoes are consumed fried, mashed, or baked. In addition to being an important food, potatoes are also the source of starch for the manufacture of adhesives and alcohol, including many vodkas. Today, Europe and the former Soviet Union produce 70% of the world potato crop, followed by China, Poland, and the United States The United States produces 21.7 million metric tons of potatoes annually, mainly in Idaho and Washington, which amounts to 4% of the world potato crop.

Potato Breeding Growing Potato from Seed

Use a small seed drill, or sow by hand. Let blight and beetle do their worst. The most susceptible seedlings will die. Mark the most resistant with a brightly painted stick. These may look susceptible in the early breeding cycles but that's ok. They will be more resistant than all the others. Pull out all the others. Let the bees cross-pollinate all the selected plants. If Colorado beetles are likely to devour the plants before they set fruit, either handpick off the egg custers and beetles or protect with Bt or natural pyrethrum. The object is to harvest the potato fruits which are the result of pollination. When 50-100 potato fruits are soft like a ripe tomato, harvest them. Put the fruits in a kitchen blender, cover with water, and blend just enough to break up the fruits and liberate the seeds. Leave this mixture in a plastic bowl to ferment a day. The seeds sink. With several rinsings, you will have clean seeds. Drain seed and spread on a paper towel to dry. These will be the parents of the second breeding cycle. Come spring, sow again. Repeat for several years, discarding plants with poor flavor or low resistance. You will be amazed how quickly resistance to beetle and blight accumulate a multi-gene durable resistance. It will not break down to new races of blight fungus in the way singlegene resistances do.

True potato seed is produced in the berries that grow from potato flowers. True Potato Seed 'TPS-true potato seed-is harvested from the berries that grow among the foliage of potato plants. An average plant produces dozens of berries, each of which contains hundreds of tiny seeds. Similar in appearance to tomato seed, TPS is usually sown in seedbeds three or four weeks prior to the potato planting season. The plants in the beds produce small tubers, sometimes called tuberlets, which farmers plant in the field much as they would conventional seed tubers.

This practice sidesteps much of the drudgery involved in handling heavy seed tubes, provides farmers with vigorous disease-free seed, and eliminates the need to store part of the previous year's crop for following year's planting. Many of the production problems that potato farmers experience result from the deterioration of the seed tubers they save for planting, storing them for eight to nine months in inadequate storage facilities.

Breeding systems
A breeder has as the objective to breed improved cultivars with better characteristics.

Conventional

breeding

Most varieties are derived from crosses between established cultivars. Often two parents are selected in such a way that the two parents are complementary in the traits they possess. In a conventional breeding programme various methods are used: 1) pedigree method, 2) backcrossing, 3) recurrent selection and 4) progeny testing. A breeder will rarely use only one specific breeding system but generally uses a synthesis of various systems.

Genetic

engineering

For the years to come the processing industry is asking for varieties that have the same processing qualities as e.g. the varieties Bintje and Russet Burbank, but with better resistance to insects, viruses, Late blight based on a polygenic genetic system. Classical potato breeding methods have some fundamental limitations. New methods such as: (1) induction of somaclonal variation with selection in vivo or in vitro, (2)somatic hybridization where intact parental genotypes and cytoplasm are combined and (3) gene transfer by genetic engineering (transformation of existing varieties) are subjects of research. Gene transfer is most appealing and successes have been reported for resistance to Colorado beetle (based on BT-genes) and resistance to PVY. With this new methods there also are various limitations: new biotypes of the insect that are resistant to the BT used may develop gene transfer for traits controlled by dominant genes is more likely to be successful than for traits controlled by polygenic systems e.g. Late blight.

With gene transfer more changes take place than just the introduction of a single gene. A modified variety is not exactly the same as the original. The new gene has to fit into a balanced system. in several countries genetic engineering is not socially accepted

It is most likely that these new breeding methods still have to be followed by "conventional" selection and breeding methods. With genetic engineering genes that control certain wanted characteristics are introduced into existing cultivars. Gene transfers.

STEPS IN SEED PRODUCTION Seed Production Technology: There are now two independent channels of seed production
for hills and plains. Hill Seed: The seed produced in hills (2500 metres above sea level) at suitable locations is called 'Hill Seed'. Plain seed: The seed produced in plains at suitable locations is called plain seed'. Northern plains have emerged as an important source of potato seed production. The low aphid plains seed is in right physiological condition at the planting time and yields higher than the traditional hill-grown seed. The period of low aphid incidence is given below. Plains zone North western plains North central plains North eastern plains - Low aphid incidence period - Oct. to end of Dec. - Oct. to 10th Jan. - Oct. to 20th Jan.

One healthy seed potatoes are introduced into the system of growing them during low aphid period accompanied by a systematic insecticide application, roguing and removal of haulms before the aphids attain critical number and the regrowth is checked, the health standards for the seed crop could be maintained for a number of generations. This system of seed potato production has been designated as ; Seed Plot Technique'. Seed Production in Eastern Plains, Deccan Plateau and Southern latitudes. In these areas the effective low-aphid period is practically absetn. In such situations, reasonably healthy seed consistent with economic yeidl could be produced by using systemic insecticides to reduce the build up of insect vectors and to prolong the growing season of the crop. It should thus be not obligatory to replace seed annually in large quantities from the northern states. Seed could be imported in smaller quantities every eyar and multiplied for one to two clonal generations. Seed Production in the Nilgiris: In the Nilgiris, aphid population is lower during summer crop only from those areas which are free from cyst-forming nematodes. The treatment of the seed potatoes

with sprout suppressants like CIPC and Fusares, at the rate of 0.5kg per quintal can maintain the seed sotcks in good physiological condition in farm stores in the absence of cold storage facilities. thus the seed stocks from the summer crop can be stored without deteriorationuntil the next planting season that is, September to March-April. Stages of Seed production: For seed multiplication and certification purposes following stages are recognised. Foundation I : Progeny of the breeders seed Foundation II: Progeny of the foundation I Certified I : Progeny of the foundation II Certified:II* Progeny of the certified I (* This is done in case of those varieties which have a low rate of multiplication and in years of shortage of seeds)

Land Requirements: A crop of seed potato shall not be eligible for certification if grown on land
infested with wart and/or cyst forming nematodes; or brown rot or noncyst forming nematodes within the previous three years; and common scab. Preference should be given to two to three year crop rotation. the soil of selected field should be well-drained, well-aerated, deep and having a pH range of 5.2 to 6.4.

Isolation Requirements: A minimum isolation distance of 5 metres for foundation and certified
seed class should ber provided all around a seed field to separate it from fields of ther vareities,and fields of the same vareity not conforming to varietal purity and health requirements for certification.

Cultural Practices Time of Sowing: The sowing should be done from 20th September (when rainfall is low), or 25th September, upto 15th october .Delayed plantings well result in poor yields. Preparation of Land: Prepare the field to a fine tilth by deep ploughing, 3 to 4 harrowings, followed by levelling. Source of Seed: Obtain breeder's/foundation seeds from source approved by a seed certification agency.

Varieties: (LOCAL CULTIVARS) 1. 2. 3. 4. KUFRI CHANDRAMUKHI KUFRI BADASHAHA KUFRI JYOTHI KUFRI KUBER

5. KUFRI FUKRAJ(J.A.X;C-166) 6. KUFRI JAVAHAR(J.H.222)

Grading
Remove all culls from the seed farm as soon as it is practical. Alberta seed growers normally sell their seed in bulk, which must be graded according to the seed regulation unless the buyer specifies otherwise. Seed regulations allow Grade A seed to range in tuber diameters from 45 mm to 70 mm for long varieties, and from 50 mm to 80 mm for round varieties. Seed lots with this size variation result in highly variable seed pieces which cause unacceptable hill-to-hill variations. Growers may get a copy of the new regulations from the Food Production and Inspection Branch Agriculture Canada, in Calgary. When commercial growers pick up seed potatoes at a seed farm, their trucks must be disinfected before entering the seed farm property. This should be done away from the seed farm especially if the truck has hauled commercial potatoes. Table: Size classes of seed potatoes. Variety Shape Grade A Grade B Long 45 to 70 mm 30 to 45 mm Round 50 to 80 mm 30 to 50 mm Seed Rate: seed rate depends upon tuber size. 25 to 30qtl of seed potato per hectare will be sufficient if the usual sized tuber (4 to 6 cm) are used. Sowing of Seeds: Whole tubers should be used for planting. Tubers should be under sprouting (sprouts 0.5 to 1cm long) for quick emergence. After 15th October when the temperature goes down, cut tubers can also be sued for planting, as per prevailing local practices. Care must be taken that each piece to be used for planting has two or three emerging eyes and weighs at least 40 gm. by this practice the seed rate isreduced considerably. Plant the tubers 3 to 4 cm deep in the soil having adequate moisture. At planting, tubers should not come into direct contact with fertilisers which should be placed right below the seed potato. Spacing: Row to row spacing at 60 cm and tuber to tuber spacing at 15 to 20 cm is recommended. Fertilisation: For a good seed crop, the medium type of soils need 100 to 125 kg nitrogen, 80 to 100 kg phosphorus and 80 to 100 kg potash per hectare. Variations may be made according to the soil tests. Besides the fertilisers, farmyard manure may be added at the rate of 25 tonnes per ha, if soil is poor in organic matter. A leguminous crop before potatoes may also partially replace organic matter requirement. Apply all phosphorus, potash and half of the nitrogen at the time of sowing. The remaining half of nitrogen should be applied about 35 days after sowing, or when the plants are about 25 to 30 cm high. For best results, the fertilisers should be placed either 5 cm below the tubers, or on the side.

Irrigation: Potato requires light and frequent irrigation. First irrigation should follow immediately after emergence. Subsequent irrigations should be given at proper intervals. The top of the ridges should not be submerged. Restrict the irrigation after the crop has tuberised well. Withhold irrigation by the third week of December i.e., ten to fifteen days before cutting of haulms. Interculture: Keep the field free from weeds At least one earthing-up is a must. It should be done when plants attain the height of 15 cm. Exposed tubers should be covered with soil during subsequent earthin-up.

INSECTS
1 .APHIDS,JASSIDS Control Measures: apply 15kg of THIMET 10G at the time of first earthing-up or spray ROGOR or METASYSTOX at hectare. 2. POTATO CUT WORM: Control Measures: apply 6.25 litres ALDRIN per hectare in 2500 litres of water before sowing, or incorporate 50kg 5%ALDRIN dust, per hectare ,in the soil before sowing. 3. LEAF EATING CATERPILLAR Spray THIODAN or FOLITHION at the rate of 750ml in 625 litres of water per hectare.

DISEASES
1. SEED BORNE DISEASES: Treat the potato seed with AGALLOL solution at 5gm per litre of water.

2. EARLY BLIGHT AND LATE BLIGHT: Spray the crop with DITHANEM-45 at 2.25kg per hectare in 625 litres of water. 3. BLACK SCURF: Dip the seed potato in AGALLOL solution, or in BENLLATE at the rate of 100 litres of water for 3 minutes.

Haulm cutting

: The practice of haulm cutting is adopted as a precautionary measure to avoid chances of viral diseases transmission through the vectors like aphids. The haulms must be cut bythe end of December, or at the latest by the first week of January before the aphid population reaches the critical stage (20 aphids per hundred compound leaves). No regrowth should be allowed.

Roguing: Very careful roguing is required for producing a high quality crop of seed potato .
the roguing is to be done at the following stages. First roguing: First roguing should be done 25 days after sowing to remove. a) All virus affected plants, and (b) All plants apparently belonging to other varieties and which can be identified from foliage. Second roguing: It should be done when the crop is fully grown. This would be about fifty to sixty days after sowing. At this time tubers are formed and, therefore, while roguing, not only the upper portion of plant, but all the tubers belonging to the plant should be removed carefully. Also at this stage the virus-affected plant as well as off-type, if any, should be removed. Third roguing: This is the third and final roguing and should be done just before cutting the foliage. Foliage should not be cut unless this rouging has been completed. At this stage, all virus-affected plants and off-type plants, if any, along with their tubers have to be very carefully removed, so that no such plants are left in the fields.

Harvesting: a) Time of Harvest: The crop is ready for harvest 10 to 15 days after haulm
cutting when the skin of tuber has hardened. Premature harvesting causes handling problems, as the soft skin gets easily peeled off and, further, such tubers cannot withstand long transportation and storage. b) Soil conditions at the time harvest: At the time of potato digging, the moisture in soil should be optimum for obtaining clean tubers.

Yields: The world dedicated 18.6 million hectares in 2010 for potato cultivation. The
average world farm yield for potato was 17.4 tonnes per hectare, in 2010. Potato farms in the United States were the most productive in 2010, with a nationwide average of 44.3 tonnes per hectare. United Kingdom was a close second. New Zealand farmers have demonstrated some of the best commercial yields in the world, ranging between 60 to 80 tonnes per hectare, some reporting yields of 88 tonnes potatoes per hectare. There is a big gap among various countries between high and low yields, even with the same variety of potato. Average potato yields in developed economies ranges between 38-44 tonnes per hectare. The two largest producers of potato, China and India which accounted for over a third of world's production in 2010, had yields of 14.7 and 19.9 tonnes per hectare respectively. The yield gap between farms in developing economies and developed economies represents an opportunity loss of over 400 million tonnes of potato, or an amount greater than 2010 world potato production. Potato crop yields are determined by factors such as the crop breed, seed age and quality, crop management

practices and the plant environment. Improvements in one or more of these yield determinants, and a closure of the yield gap, can be a major boost to food supply and farmer incomes in the developing world. c) Method of harvest and curing: The harvesting of seed potatoes can be done by any of the equipment available in the market for this purpose. Every effort should be made to avoid cuts, bruises, etc. After harvesting, tubers should not be left exposed to the hot sun for a prolonged period (not more than an hour). It should be immediately lifted and carried to an airy shed and kept in piles (height one metre, width three metres) for seven to ten days so that the superficial moisture evaporates and further hardening of skin is achieved. If sheds are not available, piles may be made in field and covered with dry haulms.

Sorting and Grading: When the potatoes are properly cured, grading should be done. Tuber Standards for Certified Seed Potatoes

following are the grade standards for seed potato tubers. Per Cent by Count Disease or Defect at shipping at destination Soft rot or wet breakdown Dry rot including late blight Scab and rhizoctonia combined a.) light b.) moderate 10.0 5.0 10.0 5.0 0.1 1.0 0.5 1.0

Stem-end discoloration caused by top killing, frost heat, or drought 4.0 Malformed or damaged 2.0 4.0 3.0

Packing: After sorting and grading the seed potatoes should be put in clean hessian bags
(50 kg size) and the bags appropriately labelled.

Movement and storage: soon after packing, the seed potatoes should be moved to enduse areas for cold storage. If the ambient temperatures are above 32*c, the seed potato should first be kept in precooling chambers, or in a cool place for preconditioning, and then stored in cold storage at temperatures from 2.2 to 3.3*c and 75 to 80% relative humidity.

Periodic inspection of seed stocks in cold storage is necessary, to ensure that stocks are keeping good. Turning of bags during rainy season helps in improving aeration. Storage Management: Each class and variety of seed must be stored separately to prevent mixing. Sprout inhibitors must not be applied to seed potato fields or in storages that are to be used for seed potatoes. Commercial potatoes that have been sprout inhibited with CIPC must not be moved to where seed potatoes will be stored at a later date. Residues will evaporate and re-establish in the new storage and subsequently may retard sprouting of seed in the future. Thoroughly clean and disinfect storage facilities and all grading and handling equipment after planting is completed and again prior to harvest. Cure potatoes at 13-16oC and a relative humidity of 90-95 per cent for 8-15 days to heal wounds and bruises. Seed potatoes should be stored at a temperature of 3-5oC with a relative humidity of 90-95 per cent for long-term storage. Allow only authorized personnel into the storage and visitors should disinfect their footwear before entering.