Comparative studies of six potato harvesting methods in the Beqa'a Plain of Lebanon

Abstract

A field experiment was conducted at the Agricultural Research and Education Center of the American University of Beirut, Lebanon to compare various prevailing potato harvesting methods with the mechanical harvester. The methods included were: manual without devining, manual after devining. animal-drawn plow after devining, tractordrawn Zahle plow after devining, tractor-drawn furrow-opener after devining and the mechanical potato harvester without devining.
The field capacity of the mechanical potato harvester was 8 to 14 times more than the other methods. Its labor requirement as to man-hours per hectare and cost per ton of potato harvesting was also relatively very small. These advantages were completely overshadowed by its much higher tuber-damage, post-harvest leavings in the field and trash collection. The tractor drawn furrow opener appeared to be the best. Its harvesting effeciency was greater but labor and cost requirements smaller than the other conventional methods without increasing tuber damage, field leavings and trash collection. The manual methods proved to be the poorest. The desirable features of mechanical harvesters for various soils and varietal conditions have been discussed.