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Abstract

For determination of damages to potato crop through harvesting machinery in Ardebil area, three types of harvesters (Sabz Dashte Isfahan, American Design, and Russian Design) were tested and results analyzed through Nested Design with random samples in five replications. Data were analyzed with respect to standard factors in three damage levels of 1, 3 and 7 respectively for scuffed, peel, severe damage, and also total quality damage mean which was defined as the mean of those quality damages. Analysis of Variance indicated that, quality damage, at the three levels, was significant in the case of all three harvesters. According to mean comparison (Duncan Test), the highest quality damage come from Russian Design with total quality damage mean of 21.6 (p< 0.05), which was significantly different from other machines, damages (scuffed, peel and severe). But Sabz Dashte Isfahan with 10.26 and American Design with 12.73 total quality damage mean were not significantly different as regards scuffed and peel quality damages. At the end it was concluded that with respect to the available standards of PMB (Potato Marketing Board) and SIAE (Scottish Institute of Agricultural Engineering) the damage index of the three mentioned types of harvesting machines is in match with the standard range, and therefore their performances are acceptable.

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