Bruising and storage: Insights from Professor Nora Olsen

Bruising is one of the most persistent challenges for potato growers and processors, reducing yield, quality, and storage life. Bruising isn’t just cosmetic, it increases water loss and disease risk, making careful management essential.

Professor Nora Olsen emphasises that prevention is far more effective than treatment and she highlights the key strategies to reduce bruising: improving the crop’s natural resistance and minimising mechanical injury.

Proper post-harvest practices are also critical to maintaining quality and storage life, but it’s important to remember that storage success starts in the paddock, not the shed.

Read the full article below for practical, evidence-based guidance on handling, irrigation, harvest timing, and storage to minimise bruising and support a higher-quality, more resilient crop.

From issue 18 of PotatoLink magazine.