Abstract
A non-destructive method for distinguishing intact potato tubers from those already exposed to mechanical damage (pressure and impact stresses) has been evaluated on three potato varieties (Agria, Marfona, and Diamant) using four pairs of ceramic ultrasonic transducers (25, 32.8, 40, and 50-kHz). Attenuation coefficient of the ultrasonic wave was used as the parameter to determine the tuber damage condition. The results obtained from 25-kHz transducers were more accurate than those from other frequencies. Results of the 25-kHz tests showed accuracies of 83%, 94.5%, and 89% in differentiating damaged tubers from intact ones for Agria, Marfona, and Diamant, respectively. In order to determine deformation energy and tangential elastic modulus of potato varieties, triaxial and uniaxial tests were used. Due to the higher average values of tangential elastic modulus in the Agria variety, it was concluded that the potato tubers of this variety are stiffer than those of Marfona and that; therefore, there is a higher ultrasonic attenuation in Agria tubers.
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