b'Harvest and Storage of Potato Crops Exposed to High Moisture Levels Storage management strategies for growers for high moisture conditions.BY: KHALIL AL-MUGHRABIFREQUENT AND EXCESSIVE rain received during the growing season is poten-tially conducive, especially in low spots and/or in poorly drained areas, to the development of some diseases, such as pink rot and Pythium leak (water rots). Growers with potato crops exposed to high moisture levels should follow the management practices below.1. T op kill at least two weeks prior to harvest to allow time for infected tubers to rot and to promote tuber maturity and thicker skin at harvest.2. Stop irrigation well in advance of harvest. 3.Avoid harvesting infested fields when soils are especially wet, or soil temper-atures are below 50 F (10 C) or above 65 F (18 C).4. Windrow potatoes to allow tuber surfaces to dry before harvest.5. During harvest, adjusting equipment properly by keeping harvester chainsfully loaded and minimizing drops to six inches or less will help avoid skin-ning or bruising tubers, which provides direct entry points for diseases.6. Identify low spots with flags prior to harvest; these spots should be left inthe field unharvested if they have been waterlogged and rot is present.7. Grade out infected tubers as much as possible before placing tubers instorage.8. Keep tubers cool and as dry as possible during harvest, loading and transit.In storage, the crop should be ventilated with high volumes of air at low humidity until it is dry. 9. Store lots of harvested tubers containing many infected tubers separately from healthy lots and place them in the front of the storage.10. Lots with significant amounts of disease should be marketed as soon aspossible as they will not store well.Along with weather conditions and forecasts, soil and tuber pulp temperatures are key elements affecting your harvest schedule and the storability of your crop. MANAGING POTATO CROPS IN STORAGE In preparation for the potato storage season, growers must be aware of the potential risk and consequences of storing potatoes infected with pink rot, soft rot, 40 SPUDSMART.COM FALL 2019'