Netherlands: Plant Health Care announces succesful potato trials

Plant Health Care a leading provider of natural products to the agriculture industry, announces that in recent trials it was found that potatoes, when treated with PHC's proprietary Harpin technology while still in the field, produced a 4.4% greater marketable yield at harvest and a reduced loss in long-term (7-8 month) storage from 4.6% in the untreated to 1.9% in the treated tubers. The storage improvements alone are worth about $4 per ton. These results were achieved in multiple trials conducted by independent crop consultants using commercial production practices in grower fields in Washington and Idaho.

Harpin technology is available for all major crops. The Harpins bind to receptors on the surface of the plant leaf, causing a reaction where the plant gears up to defend itself against disease. This is the well-documented Systemic Acquired Resistance (SAR) response, which affects the yield quality and shelf life of the crops. PHC currently has several testing agreements with major companies looking at disease control, yield increase and longer, post- harvest, shelf life achieved through the combined use of Harpin and fungicide.

Paul Bystrak, PHC Field Scientist, commented: "We had already seen evidence in smaller-scale studies that the long-term storability of potatoes increased following in-field Harpin treatment, so it is very encouraging to have those results verified on a larger scale. We have also demonstrated similar results in a variety of crops ranging from lettuce to citrus, so the financial savings potential for the grower should prove to be very attractive."

Steve Holland, a crop consultant who conducted several of the trials, commented:"The growers we worked with in the Columbia Basin have become extremely proficient at storing potatoes, so it was heartening to see the additional benefits realized by the use of Harpin in storage. In addition, substantial benefits were also realized in each of the other trials that were focused solely on studying the yield benefits."

For more information:
Pius M.A. Floris
Plant Health Care BV
Tel: +31(0)73 6562695
Mob: +31(0)651328508
Fax: +31(0)73 6563102
[email protected]
www.planthealthcare.eu