b'Potatoes in storage at Sunrise Potato Storage.If the sugars are too high, youll want to keep the temperature high to burn off more sugars, he adds. But if temperature is raised too high, youve got weight A really important concept isloss and decay to worry about, so youve got to balance those things out. knowing the pros and cons of yourOlsen agrees. Its very important to maintain the proper temperatures to storages, because they all havemaintain that quality specific to processing potatoes.their capabilities and limitations.PROPER VENTILATIONVentilation is a key aspect of temperature control in potato storages, helping to dry NORA OLSEN and cool down the crop when it is brought into store and remove respiration heat throughout the storage season. Part of proper ventilation is having a positive and uniform airflow that ensures 20 bins that can hold up to 400,000 hundredweight of potatoes, which are shippedthere are no hotspots, which can lead to condensation buildup and increased risk out to customers from harvest time all the way to the following July.of bacterial or fungal tuber disease and sprouting.VanderZaag says one of the key considerations for him when storing chippingWhen youre dropping temperatures, you want to have a uniform airflow potatoes is biochemistry. throughout your pile, but also that youre running enough volume of air so your pile The paramount important thing is the sucrose and glucose levels in those tu- is going to be at an even temperature from the top to the bottom, or at least mostly bers, he says. You have to first of all know how to manage those two parameters,even, says Kuhl. and then think about diseases, about pressure bruising. They all go hand in hand. Olsen recommends growers try to avoid temperature fluctuations in the storage Sucrose and glucose levels in stored potatoes are primarily a function of tem- and strive to maintain a delta T (the difference in temperature between the top and perature, says VanderZaag. At Sunrise Potatoes, potato samples are tested everybottom of the pile) of between 0.5 and 2 F (0.25 to 1 C).two weeks to ensure that sugar levels are where they should be. Too much airflow can cause dehydration in stored potatoes and inadequate Sugar levels generally predict the chip quality, and you need to manage your stor- humidification can contribute to pressure bruising, so ensuring proper airflow and age temperature, humidity and carbon dioxide levels accordingly, says VanderZaag. humidity levels in potato storages is a must.24 SPUDSMART.COM FALL 2019'