Issue link: http://read.uberflip.com/i/1281953
Considering application of chemicals in storage By Tyrell Marchant TOP 5 If your only exposure to potatoes were grabbing a 5-pound bag from the produce aisle or ordering fries at McDonald's, you probably wouldn't think there was much of a difference between one humble potato farm and another. Of course, as anyone likely to be reading this knows, every potato-growing operation is unique, and every grower has to take different steps to ensure the potatoes that end up in shopping carts, a Lay's bag, or even another grower's planter are of the high quality the customer expects. That process, of course, continues well after those potatoes are pulled out of the ground. Storage needs are nearly as diverse as those for planting, irrigating and fertilizing a crop. "To use the old cliché, one size does not fit all," says Kiran Shetty, technical development lead for potatoes at Syngenta. "Production itself is quite diverse. We have process grade potatoes, we have fresh-pack potatoes, sometimes they're mixed. Many growers are storing chipping stock. Many have seed potatoes. That all has some bearing on how they're stored; they're just not the same." Since its initial release in 2012, Stadium, a product from Syngenta, has performed well in helping maintain potato quality in storage on varied operations across North America. Shetty recently sat down with Potato Grower to discuss the considerations growers should make when considering a product for their storage programs, and how Stadium holds up to those measuring sticks. 1. Per formance Stadium is a fungicide that specifically targets the pathogens that cause Fusarium dry rot and silver scurf via three active ingredients: fludioxonil, azoxystrobin and difenoconazole. The utilization of three actives prevents the pathogens from developing resistance, thus improving the long-term efficacy of Stadium. "When these products are introduced into the industry, it is incumbent on the chemical manufacturers to make sure they last long enough, given the history of resistance development to active ingredients," says Shetty. "So when you combine more than one, there's less opportunity for the pathogen to develop resistance. In that regard, Stadium has been used very successfully in potatoes." 2. Compatibilit y Growers need to be aware of how a particular treatment will fit in with the characteristics of their individual operations. Variety, end user, growing conditions, and even the unique aspects of a particular storage play a part in determining which products to apply— and the manner in which they are applied—to potatoes in storage. "When Stadium—or any other product—is applied, it should be compatible with other registered chemistries or practices that might be used in storage," says Shetty. "We try to make sure that all these attributes are addressed properly so that we can position Stadium for proper use." Photo courtesy Spudnik Equipment 12 POTATO GROWER | SEPTEMBER 2020