Investigation on Field Performance of Plowing and Harvesting Potatoes in Southern Baghdad

Abstract

This field experiment, was conducted to investigate a comparison of two methods for harvesting potatoes: mechanical and handy when using moldboard and chisel plow for primary tillage and three different distances for planting tubers in the rows 15, 25, and 35 cm in silt clay loam soil south of Baghdad. The factorial experiment followed a randomized complete block design with three replications using L.S.D. 5 % and 1 %. Mechanical harvest recorded the best valid potato tubers at 88.78 %, marketable yield of 31.74 ton. ha-1, efficiency lifted 95.68 %, tubers damage index 28.41, speeding up the harvesting process and reducing time and effort. Handy harvest gave the least damage to potato tubers, 6.02 %, and unlifted potato tubers, 4.32 %. However, this method requires effort and more specialized labor, whether from men or young women, and leaded to delays in the harvesting process. Regarding planting distance of 15 cm between one tuber and another gave the highest total productivity, 46.92 ton. ha-1 and the greatest number of plants, but most of the tubers were small in size. A planting distance 25 cm produced good quality in size of potatoes with yield of 36.19 ton. ha-1, 90.99 % best valid tubers, 5.43 % least total damage tubers, 3.57 % least unlifted potato, 96.42 % best efficiency lifting, and least tuber damage index 22.39. Most interaction among the treatments was significant. The most influential factor in the experiment traits was the planting distances of potatoes in the rows. The shape of the potatoes was Spheroid. Mechanical potato harvesting saves effort saves effort, time, harvest speed, reduce the labors and increasing efficiency.