Vine pulling as a means of top killing potatoes was evaluated by measuring tuber discolouration, desiccation of stems and leaves, stems missed and rerooted, and tubers exposed during pulling.
Two weeks after top-kill, two tubers from each of 49 plants free of virus at emergence were harvested from treatment plots, sprouted, and tested for PVY with enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA).
Tuber discolouration ratings determined for potatoes that had been top killed in mid-August by chemical desiccant, rotobeating or vine pulling, remained low during the four-year study except in 1978 with the chemical desiccant.
Lal'C Mellk Mal Voiced by: Maaya Sakamoto The current holder of the top kill score among Topless pilots, Lal'C, along with fellow pilots Nicola and Tycho, is part of the so-called 'Idol' group (pilots with exceptionally high kill rates).