Reduce germination of potatoes in storage

To achieve this goal, we combine the solutions

Reduce germination of potatoes in storage:

With chlorpropham set to be banned in 2020, there are only so many anti-germination solutions available for storing potatoes.

The Nord Pas de Calais Chamber of Agriculture has been running trials for the past 2 years. The aim is to study the effect of STIMIX combined with maleic hydrazide on potato preservation.

Various positions for the combination of products were studied, before and after rain or irrigation (the application is made when 80% of the tubers are over 35 mm in size). At harvest, the potatoes were separated into 2 batches to test 2 storage locations: fridge storage at 8°C and producer storage at 7°C. No other antigerminants were applied during storage.

Every month, the germination index was measured on potatoes treated with maleic hydrazide alone and those treated with maleic hydrazide + STIMIX for each of the modalities.

The graph shows tuber germination results for an application of maleic hydrazide. This was done with or without STIMIX 24 h after rain or irrigation.

An effective combination for reducing germination in potatoes

The behaviour of potatoes during storage is similar from one place of storage to another. The best results were observed on potatoes treated 24 hours after rain or irrigation. This corresponds to the recommendations for the application of maleic hydrazide.

Results comparing the hydrazide modalities alone or with STIMIX show a reduction in tuber germination. When treated with the Biodevas solution, in addition to maleic hydrazide, from the very first observations and throughout the storage period.