Summary
The experiments were designed to study some of the mechanisation problems associated with growing high populations of potatoes on the flat with near square spatial arrangements. In 1963 four row flat beds were used but draught problems at harvest caused the semi-bed system to be adopted for the following three years with 76.2 cm ridges as a control. A new planter and a multigrade potato riddle were developed, and the semi-beds were harvested by three types of digger.
It was shown that mechanisation of the semi-bed system of potato cultivation was quite practical, but when compared with 76.2 cm ridges, yields might not compensate for the higher seed rates and increased harvesting difficulties.
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References
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Wayman, J. A., 1967. Experiments to investigate some of the problems in mechanisation associated with the cultivation of potatoes in beds, 1963–1966. Dep. Note/232/CD Nat. Inst. agric. Engng, Silsoe (unpublished).
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Wayman, J.A. Experiments to investigate some of the problems in mechanisation associated with the cultivation of potatoes in beds. Europ. Potato J. 12, 200–214 (1969). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02368103
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02368103