Technical possibilities of automatic sorting of healthy and damaged potato tubers

An outline of the development and contemporary state of potato tuber sorting is given. After an analysis of the trends in automatic potato sorting, optical objective observation of the quality of agricultural products is discussed. General characteristics of fully automated sorting mechanisms, based on the photometrical principle are given, and experience gained during the work on such apparatus abroad is discussed. On the basis of measurement of optical reflectance in the visible and near infra-red spectral region (600 to 240 nm), it is possible to separate not only potato tubers from clods and stones, but also healthy tubers from those biologically damaged. At present an optical sensor with an area resolution and detection unit for multispectral analysis of radiation reflected from the surface of tubers in 3 wave length bands of the visible and near infra-red region is being developed