Articles
AGROMETEOROLOGY AND POTATO STORAGE IN THIRD WORLD COUNTRIES
Article number
214_16
Pages
187 – 196
Language
Abstract
Despite the climatic sensitivities of the potato crop, the strong consumer demand for it and the increased capabilities of expanding production outside of traditional environments have resulted in potatoes being produced in more countries of the world than any other major food crop other than maize.
This means that potato tubers need to be handled and stored, whether for seed or consumption, in a wide range of conditions.
This paper illustrates that while both pre- and post-harvest climatic factors strongly influence the choice of potato post-harvest technologies, these factors should not be considered in isolation from other influences on storage needs and technologies.
Climatic factors, but particularly temperature, influence both the choice of storage systems and the details of store design.
Additionally pre-harvest climatic factors have important influences on the quality of tubers available for storage.
In addition to illustrating these influences of climatic factors on storage and handling of potatoes, the overriding importance of understanding the diverse supply and demand patterns for potatoes is emphasized.
Based on such considerations, the need for increased research, development and training programmes, orientated towards better application of known storage principles to location specific needs in Third World countries, in an interdisciplinary systems approach, is recognized and recommended as the most cost effective means of improving present practices.
It is stressed that post-harvest practices must be viewed as part of the whole potato food system and all attempts to improve them must be viewed in this light and not through an over-simplistic technological/ meteorological approach.
This means that potato tubers need to be handled and stored, whether for seed or consumption, in a wide range of conditions.
This paper illustrates that while both pre- and post-harvest climatic factors strongly influence the choice of potato post-harvest technologies, these factors should not be considered in isolation from other influences on storage needs and technologies.
Climatic factors, but particularly temperature, influence both the choice of storage systems and the details of store design.
Additionally pre-harvest climatic factors have important influences on the quality of tubers available for storage.
In addition to illustrating these influences of climatic factors on storage and handling of potatoes, the overriding importance of understanding the diverse supply and demand patterns for potatoes is emphasized.
Based on such considerations, the need for increased research, development and training programmes, orientated towards better application of known storage principles to location specific needs in Third World countries, in an interdisciplinary systems approach, is recognized and recommended as the most cost effective means of improving present practices.
It is stressed that post-harvest practices must be viewed as part of the whole potato food system and all attempts to improve them must be viewed in this light and not through an over-simplistic technological/ meteorological approach.
Publication
Authors
Robert H. Booth
Keywords
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