Ontario Agriculture

The network for agriculture in Ontario, Canada

Tips To Lowering Bruise Rates – It’s A Full Season Process

Before Planting

• Select fields that are best suited for growing potatoes and are free from excessive rocks.  Investigate the soil conditioning technics presently adopted throughout Europe, if unavoidable.

• Avoid tillage practices that create clods that will not break down during the growing season.  Rotary tillage methods prevent clods in clod prone soils.

 

During the Growing Season

• Use a balanced fertility program to keep vines green until shortly before top-kill.

 

Pre-harvest Preparation

• Train all harvest personnel about bruise prevention.

• Install padded chains on harvesting and handling equipment, and replace when worn.

• Adjust harvester chain conveyor speed in relation to ground speed to maintain a full, uniform flow of potatoes on each conveyor.

• Install padding on the harvester at points where potatoes may be bruised.

• Adjust digger blade height on harvesters and windrowers so potatoes do not bump into the front of the primary chain.

 

Top-Killing

• Kill the vines fourteen to twenty-one days before harvest to allow the skins to properly mature.

• Use mechanical toppers for stubborn – hard to kill vines.

• Apply a pre-harvest irrigation at least one week before digging to soften clods and rehydrate tubers.

 

Harvesting

• Harvest potatoes only when tuber pulp temperatures are 8°C to 20°C (45°F to 65°F).

• Keep drops to a minimum, adjust web transfers for optimal drop level.

• Avoid using web shakers to separate soil and clods on windrower & harvester.

• Check potato touched areas within harvester and ensure all controllable bruise points are changed (hex bolt heads to round head bolts, exposed guard edges etc.)

• Keep harvester boom close to the pile on the truck.

• Do not walk on potatoes while putting on the tarp.

 

At the Storage

• Pile potatoes in a stair-step manner to prevent roll down on the pile face.

• Keep drops to a minimum.

• Maintain high humidity in storage unless drying is required to control rot problems such as late blight

or water rot.

 

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Paul Smith is the owner of Northern Equipment Solutions and based in Central Ontario, Canada. Providing Quality Potato Equipment, Precision Agriculture and Other Advanced Equipment, Northern Equipment Solutions ensures that your profits and yields are maximized. www.northernequipment.ca or sales@northernequipment.ca

Views: 270

Comment

You need to be a member of Ontario Agriculture to add comments!

Join Ontario Agriculture

Comment by Iain Robson on December 17, 2012 at 2:09pm

One of the disadvantages might the fact that you have to get another piece of equipment, which isn't primarily in Canada. Are toppers available in Canada? If so, what makes are good to look at?

Also, what is the advantage of harvesting potatoes green? I don't know all the ins and outs sorry.

Comment by Paul Smith on December 17, 2012 at 1:17pm

Mechanically killing the tops does 2 things

1- Removes the tops if the spuds are to be dug green and place the vines away from the harvested area allowing for a cleaner harvest, therefore your cleaning section does not need to be set so aggressive, so it will bruise less

2- With some varieties that are stubborn to kill off the vines, mechanical topping will help and make so you will not have to do multiple top kill sprays

Comment by Iain Robson on December 17, 2012 at 8:54am

@Paul Smith

What is the advantage of mechanically topping plants?

Comment by Paul Smith on December 17, 2012 at 7:59am

Iain

A tried and true product is Reglone, which is usually applied twice, to help promote skin set and improve tuber general health.

Ontario growers are starting use a European method of topping the vines mechanically, and then if needed an application of reglone is used

Comment by Iain Robson on December 17, 2012 at 7:41am

Great information. 

For top killing you mentioned to spray 21 days before harvest, what type of spray would you recommend for that ?

Agriculture Headlines from Farms.com Canada East News - click on title for full story

Century Lithium Advances Demonstration Plant Relocation To Tonopah And Provides Reagent Cost Structure Update

Century Lithium Corp. (TSXV: LCE) (OTCQX: CYDVF) (Frankfurt: C1Z) ("Century Lithium" or the "Company") is pleased to provide an update on the relocation of its Lithium Extraction Facility ("Demonstration Plant") to the Company's site in Tonopah, Nevada, USA. Current market conditions also highlight the competitive advantage of the Company's 100%-owned Angel Island lithium project ("Angel Island") in Esmeralda County, Nevada and its integrated chlor-alkali process as global sulfur and sulfuric acid prices rise. "During the last five years, Century Lithium developed an integrated process flowsheet that successfully produced battery-grade lithium carbonate from Angel Island claystone. The patent-pending process uses salt, rather than sulfur-derived reagents, which distinguishes Angel Island from spodumene and most sedimentary lithium projects globally," said Bill Willoughby, President and CEO of Century Lithium. "Moving the Demonstration Plant to Tonopah lets us show the operating benefi

Secretary of State Zerucelli highlights suspension of the federal fuel excise tax on gasoline and diesel and other affordability measures to lower costs for Canadians

The global landscape is rapidly changing. In response, Canada's new government is focused on what we can control – building a stronger, more independent, more resilient economy. We're building an economy where Canadians are empowered with greater security, certainty, and a lower cost of living. Global conflict and ongoing supply disruptions in the Middle East are driving up fuel prices around the world. To make Canada more energy secure and less reliant on external factors, our government is advancing major projects to realise Canada's full potential in clean and conventional energy. We're building big in electricity, LNG, and nuclear to provide all Canadians with clean, reliable, and affordable power. As we build for the long term, we are providing immediate relief to bring down costs for Canadians right now – including cutting taxes for 22 million Canadians, cancelling the consumer carbon tax, and protecting and expanding vital social programs. In that spirit, the Honourable John Z

Soybean Cyst Nematode Is in almost every soybean producing state and province

Soybean cyst nematode has been confirmed in all soybean producing U.S. states except one, making detection and active management essential for protecting yield in 2026.

Rising Fertilizer Prices Could Shift Canada 2026 Crop Plans

High fertilizer costs and weak crop margins may cause Canadian farmers to shift 2026 planting toward lower input crops, adjust rotations, and increase hay or unseeded acres.

Ontario Exempts Farmlands from Stormwater Fees

Ontario will exempt eligible farmlands from stormwater fees, easing costs for farmers and supporting agriculture while recognizing how farmland naturally manages water across the province.

© 2026   Created by Darren Marsland.   Powered by

Badges  |  Report an Issue  |  Terms of Service