PW-ACTUA Pre-sprouting also helps against Fusarium Seed potato growers who are staunch advocates of presprouting claim that the method also helps against diseases such as Erwinia, Fusarium and Phoma. Cor Joppe, manufacturer of the widely-known Joppe Presprouting bags, put this claim to the test and commissioned the Northern Arable Trial Farms [Stichting Proefboerderijen Noordelijke Akkerbouw (SPNA)] to examine how the above-mentioned diseases develop in the tuber if they are kept either in presprouting bags for several months or in a cooling plant for the same period. It is a known fact that presprouting speeds up the growing process of the potato crop. Additional beneficial effects for seed potato growing are that tuber growth develops more uniformly and that the mother tubers dissipate in good time. There are now many fans of pre-sprouting who contend that the method also helps prevent diseases such as Erwinia, Fusarium and Phoma. Cor Joppe, who originally invented and sells pre-sprouting systems, is aware of this thinking and, last spring, he decided to have the claim put to the test. A specific study was carried out by SPNA at the Kollumerwaard Trial Farm in Munnekezijl. Presumption partly confirmed In mid-April, tubers were inoculated for testing with traces of Fusarium, Phoma and Erwinia. One part of the inoculated lot was put into net bags and strung up outside on sprouting racks. The other part was placed in the cooling plant. Uninoculated samples were also included in the study. After a storage period of three months, the tubers were tested for any possible symptoms of any of the three diseases. The untreated samples showed no infection with Erwinia, Fusarium or Phoma. The control test remained completely free of any disease. In any event, this indicates that there was no latent infection found in the tubers. The tubers that were inoculated with Phoma and Erwinia showed no infection after storage in the pre-sprouting bag or after cooling. In the case of tubers that were inoculated with Fusarium, the outcome was different. Pre-sprouted tubers showed less incidence of infection than tubers that were cooled. The main conclusion therefore is that presprouting has a positive effect on infection with Fusarium. Advocates of pre-sprouting Agrodust vacuum cleaner follows floor optimally Agrodust recently brought an industrial vacuum-cleaner on the market that can accurately follow unevenness in the floor. This is possible thanks to the installation of a flexible suction cup.. ‘We had no idea that we could improve our vacuum cleaners even more but we did it’, a smiling Luc Vermeulen of Agrodust tells us during the Starch Potato Days in Valthermond. ‘Due to the flexible suspension of the suction cup, the machine follows the floor better than ever before. The manufacturer has linked the vacuum cleaner to the suction cup with one, single piece, with the suction cup being flexibly mounted. The advantage is that the cup can now move horizontally. With a tilting Stelcon slab or a sloping clinker floor, the cup exactly follows the floor and sucks dirt and dust even better’, Vermeulen knows from experience. An additional advantage is that the suction cup can be removed from the machine much faster. This option is useful if a loose tube needs to be connected during the vacuuming of ventilation ducts in storage, for example. The price of a machine with this option is the same as have had their assumptions partly confirmed. Presprouting can partly reduce infection, according to the test with Fusarium. ‘It’s an extra argument added to the positive effects that pre-sprouting already has’, Joppe said. ● Pre-sprouting can partly reduce infection, according to the test with Fusarium, says Cor Joppe. ‘With a tilting Stelcon slab or a sloping clinker floor, the cup exactly follows the floor and sucks dirt and dust even better’, Vermeulen knows from experience. that of the previous model. The industrial vacuum cleaners are for sale at 2,600 euros VAT included. ● Potato World 2011 • number 4 17 Pagina 16

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