“Early germination of potatoes is associated with extended heat waves during this growing season,” says Jaap Bijl, storage specialist at Van Iperen, reports portal nieuweoogst.nl. “If the crop has gone through some stressful periods, you can see it right now. Spraying of maleic hydrazide (MH) was carried out in most of the Dutch companies about two weeks earlier than usual. MG is, so to speak, a hand brake for the germination of potatoes.
Beale expects the dormant period to end earlier this year than last year: "We're seeing drying symptoms in different varieties." The storage specialist says that the first stage of drying is not yet a serious problem: “Only if the potatoes remain in the ground for a long time, the newly formed tubers suck out the primary tubers. Then a vitreous potato is formed.
Potato storage requires a dry and cool room. Following the withdrawal of chlorpropham, the sector is dependent on other agents, the most important of which are 1,4 Sight, Argos and Biox-M. These products require a different approach than the chlorpropham that manufacturers are accustomed to. With this in mind, Van Iperen has organized a special training course for storage professionals.
“You have to apply 1.4 Sight before the potatoes come out of dormancy,” Beale points out. “Think of it as an extension of the MG spray. By the way, the product is not suitable for every storage, and the buyer may also have a preference for a particular inhibitor.
When the dormant period is disturbed, growers can turn to Argos, an orange oil based product. Or Biox-M, which is a natural microbial inhibitor based on peppermint oil.
Beale advises growers to regularly check the dormancy status of potatoes or contact a storage specialist in a timely manner. An optimal dormancy period is important to ensure tuber quality. “In 2020, similar to 2022, farmers have already had to intervene in storage in mid-October. It was later last year (potatoes stayed dormant longer due to a more even growing season). '