Development of processing technologies to add value to tuber crops and machinery for cost effective processing are the major activities of the Division. Technologies were standardized for making value added snack foods from tuber crops and commercialized to small scale entrepreneurs .Innovative technologies like bioethanol from Cassava, high fructose syrup from cassava starch, cold water miscible starch , solid adhesive for bonding applications, superabsorbant polymers, functional pasta products with low glycaemic index, leaf protein concentrate for fish feed, minimally processed cassava and elephant foot yam have been developed. Processing machinery like chipping machines, raspers, starch extraction units and feed granulators are in constant demand from clients.

Process conditions were optimized to produce cassava stem-coir pith based and cassava stem-rice husk-based particle boards. Pretreatment of cassava stem with hot water has been standardized for preparing particle boards.

The effect of staggered leaf harvesting in year-round fodder production of cassava and sweet potato was studied. The study up to 6 months revealed that in cassava, var. Sree Jaya produced the highest leaf yield (19 t ha^-1), followed by var. Sree Reksha (14.10 t ha^-1). In sweet potato, var. Kishan had the highest vine yield (20.70 t ha^-1), followed by var. Sree Bhadra after 7-leaf harvesting and 6-vine cuttings treatment, respectively.

Cassava starch phosphate carbamate with high water absorption capacity was successfully evaluated for methylene blue dye removal from water. The dye removal percentage by the hydrogel at the equilibrium state was about 98.30-99.20% with 10 and 20 ppm of the dye concentrations and 20 and 30 mg of the adsorbent concentrations. The hydrogel was also tested as a soil additive to improve soil moisture retention. There was a significant increase in the porosity, water holding capacity, and nutrient status of the cassava starch phosphate carbamate hydrogel amended soil samples.

The effect of complexation of cassava starch with proteins from plant/animal sources on the physicochemical, pasting, and digestive properties was studied. The source of protein significantly affected the properties of the modified starches. There was a significant reduction in viscosity, swelling power, and in vitro starch digestibility, whereas the water holding capacity increased after complexation.

Maida-free sweet potato and sorghum-based thin cookies were developed and 40% of sweet potato flour, 40% of sorghum flour and 20% of wheat flour had comparatively higher nutritional and sensory attributes. The nutritional characteristics were studied in the sweet potato, pearl millet and wheat flour based choco-filled cookies and the product containing 40% of sweet potato flour, 40% of pearl millet flour and 20% of wheat flour was superior in nutritional and sensory attributes compared to other formulations. Natural sweetener (stevia) was used for the development of sweet potato-sorghum low-calorie cookies. The combination of 45 g each of sweet potato and sorghum and 10 g of wheat flour was the best in terms of nutritional and sensory attributes.

Rice analogues were developed from cassava (40-50%), pearl millet (25-35%), guar gum (0.5 and 1%) based composite flour as well as from the composite flour containing cassava flour (40-50%), barnyard millet flour (25-35%) and flaxseed (2 and 3%), which were characterized by determining their biochemical, physical and cooking properties. Pasta was developed from cassava-pearl millet-soy flour based composite flour and the optimized parameters were cassava-40%, pearl millet-58.38% and soy flour-15%.

A tractor operated prototype harvester has been developed to harvest Chinese potato tubers grown in ridge and furrow system. The actual field capacity and field efficiency of the harvester are 0.13 ha h^-1 and 81.15%, respectively and the cost per hectare of harvesting is ₹ 18,400 with a savings of ₹ 94,100 ha^-1 compared to the mechanical harvester. A portable self-propelled tapioca sett cutter was developed for producing quality tapioca setts in the field itself, which can be operated by hand or pedal. The cutting efficiency, percentage of damaged setts and output capacity of the machine are 98%, 0.45% and 3600 setts per hour, respectively.