Production and storage
Production and storage
Successful potato production and long-term storage depend on proper crop management, a dedicated curing phase to heal skin damage, and strictly controlled environmental conditions to prevent sprouting, rot and sugar accumulation.
Publications
Discover downloadable publications on topics related to production and storage.
Cost of production
Seed production and planting
Field, crop rotation, soil, irrigation and nutrient management
- Agronomics of leasing fields for potato production, BUL 1038
- Nitrogen management in field crops with reference strips and crop sensors, BUL 896
- Nitrogen uptake and utilization by pacific northwest field crops, PNW 513
- Nutrient management guidelines for Russet Burbank potatoes, BUL 840
- Organic potato production in Idaho: nutrient management and variety selection, BUL 885
- Evaluating Lesa irrigation systems in potato production in southern and eastern Idaho, BUL 933
- Potato production with limited water supply, CIS 1122
- Potato irrigation management, BUL 789
- Impact of freezing temperatures on potato tubers, BUL 1073
Organic production
Storage management
- Cleaning and disinfecting potato equipment and storage facilities, CIS 1180
- Cull and waste potato management, CIS 814
- Diagnosis and management of potato storage diseases, CIS 1131
- Measuring potato dry matter content on the farm, CIS 1219
- Best practices for CIPC residue sampling of potatoes and storage facilities, BUL 907
- Commercial application of sprout inhibitor of CIPC to storage potatoes, CIS 1059
- Organic and alternative methods for potato sprout control in storage, CIS 1120
- Handling potato waste for beef cattle feeding, CIS 425
- Options for storing potatoes at home, CIS 1153
- Portable test kits for diagnosing potato diseases, BUL 883
- Respiration of potatoes during storage, BUL 1061
- Superficial growth on potatoes, CIS 1191
Food and farm safety
University of Idaho has updated the previously available Potato USDA GAP Audit Organizational Material. The U of I manual is designed to simplify the collection of information necessary to pass the USDA GAP audit. Included are helpful hints, adaptable standard operating procedures (SOP), examples of policies, documentation and records to use, employee health and hygiene policies in English and Spanish, description of a mock recall drill and other resource information. In August 2022 the USDA replaced and updated their Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) and Good Handling Practices (GHP) Audit Verification checklist. The updated U of I GAP audit organizational manual incorporated these changes into the newest version and this manual can be used in preparing for the current GAP audit.
Minimizing foreign material
Foreign material is any material that is not the potato tuber. It is "trash" or "garbage" in potatoes. Many foreign materials originate in the field, but others enter the product stream through equipment and during storage and handling. Whether potatoes are destined for the fresh market or processing, foreign material is a great concern to the Idaho potato industry.
Remove foreign materials poster — Download and print poster (16" x 24”) that provides examples of common foreign material found in potato production. Display the poster in areas to educate employees and as a reminder to remove foreign material.
Continuing to manage foreign materials for quality Idaho potatoes
Continuando el control de material extraño para las papas de Idaho de calidad
UI Extension publications
View peer-reviewed, research-based educational materials produced by U of I experts.