A3o~UncMter Famine, Saturday, Jaaaary 29,1983
Artificial potato pinpoints trouble
UNIVERSITY PARK- A potato
that can “feel” pain is helping
agricultural engineers at Penn
State And ways to prevent damage
to real potatoes.
“As farmers well know, potatoes
can be cracked or bruised either
by mechanical or human handling
during harvesting, shipping or
processing. They can even be
damaged in storage,” says C.
Terry Morrow, associate professor
of agricultural engineering.
“Our artificial potato helps
pinpoint where and how damage to
real potatoes occurs. Engineers
can then use this information to
design machines and methods to
prevent the damage.”
Developed at Penn State by a
research team beaded by Morrow
and funded by the National Science
Foundation, the artificial potato
contains electronic and
mechanical sensors that detect
damage-causing stresses and
Meetings explain changes
in DeL soil tests
NEWARK, Del. - A series of
meetings will be held in Delaware
next month to explain recent
changes in the University of
Delaware soil test laboratory’s
program for commercial crops.
A meeting is planned for fer
tilizer representatives on Tuesday,
Feb. 1, from 9 to 12 noon at the
Capital Grange in Dover. Ibis will
be followed by three evening
meetings for farmers on Tuesday,
Feb. 8, from 7 to 9 pm at the
Capital Grange in Dover;
Tuesday, Feb. 19, from 7 to 9 p.m.
at the University of Delaware
Substation near Georgetown; and
Wednesday, Feb. 10, from 7 to ft
p.m. at the Silver Lake School in
Middletown.
Soil scientist Leo Cotnoir says
the purpose of the meetings is to
discuss the philosophy of the
University’s soil testing laboratory
and acquaint commercial fertilizer
dealers and tanners with changes
being made in recommendations
and reporting procedures.
“There has been no change in
our soil test philosophy,” says
Cotnoir. “We still consider testing
a production tool for optimizing
yield and maximizing profit. But
we have revised some of our
recommendations to bring them up
to date with the latest available
research.”
Changes have also been made in
the information requested from
farmers when they submit soil
samples for analysis. “We’re
trying to encourage them to take a
closer look at all the factors in-
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forces. The potato transmits its
measurements to the researchers,
who record and analyze them
using microprocessors.
With a molded, silicone rubber
exterior, Morrow’s potato looks
like the real thing.
Farmers and machinery
manufacturers, he says, will be
able to send it through harvesting
and processing systems to in
dentify where damage is occurring
or most likely to occur.
“In a number of tests using
actual machinery, real potatoes
and the artificial ootato. the ar
tifical potato was very precise
in measuring and predicting
damage points,” Morrow notes.
“In fact, the artificial potato is
valuable not only in identifying
damage points in existing
machinery and systems, but also
in helping engineers predict bow to
design machinery to avoid
damage.”
votved in producing their crops,”
Cotnoir says. This includes soil
type, yield goals and production
practices.
‘‘Our report forms have a new
look,” he says. “They’ve been
changed to encourage users to look
more closely at their own terming
practices and base fertilizer
decisions on these.” The reports
will be accompanied by tect sheets
designed to make growers more
aware of their fertilizer options, in
the interest of greater cost ef
fectiveness .
The meetings are open to
everyone regardless of race, color,
sex, handicap, age or national
origin. For further information,
contact Extension offices in
Newark 302/738-2508, Dover
302/730-1448; and Georgetown
302/8564250.
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The project is part of Morrow’s
on-going research into the physical
and mechanical properties of
biological materials. Assisting him
with development of the potato was
N.D. Halle, a former graduate
student who is now an extension
agricultural engineer at the
University of Maine.
“Just as materials like concrete
and steel have points at which they
fail due to external forces, so do
the biological tissues of fruits and
vegetables,” Morrow explains.
“Our studies on such
agricultural products as apples,
potatoes and cereal grains are
intended to detect the relationship
between external forces and
damage, and predict how to avoid
it”
In the potato studies, for
example, the Peon State resear*
chers have discovered that smaller
potatoes can handle less of a
weight load before cracking than
larger ones.
“Because of this, we recommend
that potatoes be sorted by size
before being placed in storage
containers. This can prevent
smaller potatoes from ending up
on the bottom of the pile, where
they are more likely to crack,”
Morrow says.
In some cases, he observes, the
shape of storage containers or bins
can play a crucial role in
preventing damage to the
potatoes.
“Depending on the size and
shape of the potatoes being stored,
it might be desirable to have
sloped rather than vertical sides to
remove some of the weight load
from the potatoes on the bottom,”
Morrow explains.
In other cases, machinery may
move potatoes too fast and bump
them around with too much force.
In all cases, however, the Penn
State artificial potato is willing to
take the pain for the benefit of its
real brothers.
Mason-Dixon P. Hereford plans field day, sale
SWANTON, Md. - At the last
meeting of the Mason-Dixon Polled
Hereford Association plans were
made to hold the annual meeting
and field day at Flat Stone Lick
farm. Route 1, Marianna, on
Saturday, June 4,1983.
Dr. Leslie P. Midla, manager of
the farm and a member of the
board of directors will-serve as
chairman of the event. The
program will feature “The Im
portance of Fertile Females in the
Cow Calf Operation.’’
The Spring Sale will be held on
Deductible Expenses
Farmers usually remember the
usual expenses such as feed and
fertilizer. The ones that are missed
are: business share of car ex
penses; interest that was added
into a loan because it was
delinquent or Just accrued; office
supplies such as stamps, en
velopes, pens; work and show
clothes; indirect advertising such
as furnishing trophies to shows;
and farm related conventions,
seminars, or tours. Be ready to
document these expenses,
especially if you take a trip to
Hawaii.
Capital Galas
Items that are eligible for long
tom capital gains treatment have
a definite advantage. The
rruiTiminn tax you will pay CO the
profits from these items is 20
percent
Some items would beellgibie for
long term capital gains treatment
if they were owned long enough.
The profit from the sale of these
Items would be a short term
capital gain. It is taxable at the
regular rate but is not subject to
social security taxes nor does it
reduce social security income. A
good example of this would be
dairy heifers under 2 years of age
sold for dairy or breeding pur
poses.
Investment Credit
A major decision to make con
coning investment credit is: “Do I
take the $5,000 capital expenditure
as an expense and forgo the in
vestment credit or not?”
The answer depends on: your tax
bracket; carryover of prior year
investment credit; effect of in
come averaging; effect of the
Saturday evening. May 14,1983 at
7:30 p.m. Plans also are
progressing to hold the MDPHA
first annual show as a part of the
Greater Cumberland Fair the first
week in August.
The Mason-Dixon Polled
Hereford Association is now
composed of about seventy
registered and commercial cat
Brockett's Ag Advice
By John E. Brockett
Farm Management Agent
Lewistown Extension Office
alternative minimum tax; and
forecast of 1983’s taxes.
One thing to consider: in
vestment credit cannot be saved if
you have income taxes doe.
However if the alternative
minimum tax causes you to pay
extra taxes you do not lose that
investment credit.
- Example: You have an income
tax of 15,000. You also have $5,000
worth of investment credit so your
actual income tax is |O. However,
because of some extraordinary
cow sales you have a minimum tax
to oav of 12,000. Since that $2,000
negated $2,000 of the investment
credit, you really did not use that
amount of credit You can now use
that credit tn carry back or for
ward for use in another year (up to
ISyearaforward).
Dual Expenses
Some expenses are a result of
personal and business use.
Examples are car expenses, real
estate .taxes and Insurance which
include the bouse, electricity,
telephone, and possibly some hired
help. Be reasonable when
allocating these expenses. It Is
fairly obvious that a family with
one car and two teenage drivers
probably uses that car more for
personal use than the family with
no teenage drivers.
Real estate taxes and casualty
insurance could be apportioned in
relation with values set on the
house as opposed to the total farm.
UabQity insurance would probably
be greater on the business side
versus personal than casualty
insurance. An electrically-heated
home would have more personal
use electricity than one using'some
other type of heat.
tlemen in the states of Maryland,
Pennsylvania and West Virginia.
Individuals desiring more in
formation about the organization
should write Mrs. Brenda Jenkins,
secretary, Star Route, Box 35,
Friendsville, Md. or Dr. William
H. Buser, P.O. Box 3025, Swanton,
Md. 21561, or call 301/746-5321 or
301-387-6930.
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