Postharvest Behavior of Potato Tubers as Influenced by Sowing Time, Variety and Propagation Method under Ambient Storage Conditions
Deepanshi Deora *
Department of Vegetable Science, College of Agriculture, Rajmata Vijayaraje Scindia Krishi Vishwa Vidyalaya, Gwalior (474002), Madhya Pradesh, India.
Murlidhar J. Sadawarti
ICAR-Central Potato Research Institute, Regional Station, Gwalior (474020), Madhya Pradesh, India.
I.S. Naruka
Department of Horticulture, College of Agriculture, Rajmata Vijayaraje Scindia Krishi Vishwa Vidyalaya, Gwalior (474002), Madhya Pradesh, India.
Hemant Kumar Meena
Department of Vegetable Science, College of Agriculture, Rajmata Vijayaraje Scindia Krishi Vishwa Vidyalaya, Gwalior (474002), Madhya Pradesh, India.
Nilesh Ninama
Department of Vegetable Science, College of Agriculture, Rajmata Vijayaraje Scindia Krishi Vishwa Vidyalaya, Gwalior (474002), Madhya Pradesh, India.
Tanuja Buckseth
ICAR-Central Potato Research Institute, Shimla (171001), HP, India.
Subhash Katare
ICAR-Central Potato Research Institute, Regional Station, Gwalior (474020), Madhya Pradesh, India.
Rajendra Kumar Samadhiya
ICAR-Central Potato Research Institute, Regional Station, Gwalior (474020), Madhya Pradesh, India.
SP Singh
ICAR-Central Potato Research Institute, Regional Station, Patna (801506), Bihar, India.
Abhitej Singh Shekhawat
Department of Soil Science & Agricultural Chemistry, College of Agriculture, Agriculture University, Jodhpur (342304), Rajasthan, India.
Abhishek Yadav
Department of Vegetable Science, College of Agriculture, Rajmata Vijayaraje Scindia Krishi Vishwa Vidyalaya, Gwalior (474002), Madhya Pradesh, India.
Manisha Pathak
Department of Vegetable Science, College of Agriculture, Rajmata Vijayaraje Scindia Krishi Vishwa Vidyalaya, Gwalior (474002), Madhya Pradesh, India.
Astha
Department of Fruit Science, College of Agriculture, Rajmata Vijayaraje Scindia Krishi Vishwa Vidyalaya, Gwalior (474002), Madhya Pradesh, India.
Ramawatar Choudhary
Department of Fruit Science, College of Agriculture, Rajmata Vijayaraje Scindia Krishi Vishwa Vidyalaya, Gwalior (474002), Madhya Pradesh, India.
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
A field study was conducted during Rabi 2023–24 and 2024–25 at ICAR–CPRI, Regional Station, Gwalior, to assess the postharvest behavior of potato tubers as affected by sowing time, variety and propagation method under ambient conditions. The experiment, laid out in a split-plot design, comprised three sowing times (7th, 17th and 27th November), two varieties (Kufri Kiran and Kufri Sangam) and three propagation methods (apical root cutting, sprout cutting and aeroponics minituber). Early sowing (7th November) recorded the longest dormancy (71.52 days) and delayed rottage (67.89 days), whereas mid-November sowing (17th November) produced the highest sprout number (1.77 tuber⁻¹). Aeroponics minitubers showed the greatest storage resistance (67.26 days to rottage) and sprout cutting enhanced sprouting (2.03 sprouts tuber⁻¹). Varietal differences were negligible. Overall, early to mid-November planting with aeroponic or sprout-cutting propagation improved tuber dormancy, sprouting and storability under ambient storage.
Keywords: Potato, sowing time, variety, propagation method, dormancy, sprouting