Potato Grower

18 POTATO GROWER | AUGUST 2018 Use RiteDrop Sonar Sensors to automatically control potato drop distance TIRED OF ADJUSTING THE HARVESTER BOOM ALL DAY LONG? greentronics.com • 519-669-4698 • More time for operators to keep an eye on other aspects of the harvesting job • Fewer worries about bruise with inexperienced operators • RiteDrop sensors are reliable, accurate and ideal for measuring distance in dusty environments • e system is designed to work with existing hydraulic solenoid valves. • Smart self-calibration automatically adjusts to the equipment's hydraulics • ISOBUS compatible version optionally available • Sensors mounted in heavy-duty self-pivoting housings Alternative applications on windrower stingers, Even o tubs, and other conveyors where correct height is critical RiteDrop 1958-12Greentronics12h.indd 1 6/26/18 2:24 PM Smith also mentioned increased disease pressure across the country and in the San Luis Valley, in which 55,000 acres of potatoes are grown annually. One disease many growers struggle with is PVY, which is spread by aphids. Neighboring fields of the source of disease make it easy to spread. With its new seed growing addition, Three S Ranch has the opportu- nity to move 20 miles away from the nearest potato field and have an isolated seed supply. Smith believes the best way to avoid PVY is to plant seeds with a low amount of the disease from the start. "We think we have an opportunity to provide high-quality seed to the entire valley and maybe beyond," Smith says. On the commercial potato side, there has been little room to grow because of lower demand. For years, organizations like United Potato Growers of America have been asking for acre- The San Luis Valley is the world's largest alpine valley, and the dry desert climate makes for near-ideal potato-growing conditions.

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