BPC calls for action to preserve crop quality

Dry harvesting conditions across the country are bringing large volumes of soil into potato stores, the BPC has warned, with resulting implications for stored crop quality.

The wet summer, followed by a month with little rain, means a lot of soil is coming up in clods over the harvester web. "It is important that growers take extra steps to remove this soil before the crop comes into store," notes Adrian Cunnington from BPC's Sutton Bridge Experimental Unit (SBEU).

Soil can restrict airflow through the stored crop, he points out. If attached to tubers it will reduce the efficacy of chlorpropham (CIPC) applications, leading to sprouting problems. "The cleaner the crop, the less it will cost you to store it," he adds.

Mr Cunnington will be presenting a seminar at British Potato 2007 on November 28 and 29 outlining the main storage risks for 2007 and action points for growers to ensure crop quality is preserved. Click on www.potato.org.uk/bp2007 for details and tickets.

The unusual harvesting conditions are posing problems for growers, he notes. "Usually you'd increase agitation on the harvester, to avoid including large quantities of clod and soil. But this year avoidance of bruising is a major hurdle for many growers. It may be worth putting extra staff on the grading line rather than risk extra soil going into the store."

Whatever the status of store loading, all crops should be monitored on a daily basis and attention needs to be paid to monitoring quality and keeping condensation at bay.