GB Potatoes in partnership with Potato Storage Insight and SDF Agriculture have been running the Strategic Potato (SPot) storage project in 2023/24. This is a new project this season to help refine potato storage practices and its aim is to fine tune practices through on farm research and learning.
Rather than reviewing older trials results on paper the partnership believes that it is better to run proactive demonstrations and activity helping growers to improve their understanding of potato storage, and ultimately maintain control of ever-increasing costs.
After the launch event in December 2023 a further on-site meeting is being held at Winters Lane Storage Ltd., Long Sutton, on May 14th, where various aspects of potato storage are being tested and monitored.
This will be an opportunity for visitors to hear from Adrian Cunnington, of Potato Storage Insight and Simon Faulkner of SDF Agriculture talk through areas of the work that they have been conducting at Winters Lane and the nearby Gedney Dyke stores.
Topics being covered will include cold storage strategies for fresh potatoes, featuring maleic hydrazide uptake and storage regimes such as cold temperatures and ethylene as well as other products. Store design in terms of air flow and the evenness of temperatures throughout the store as well as insulation, respiration and dormancy will also feature. Additionally, a look at varieties from a PCN trial and how they have stored under the different regimes.
After a hog roast lunch where the other 21 partners in the project will be exhibiting. The companies will be on hand to discuss their businesses and what they can offer growers.
There will also be the chance to travel the very short distance to the processing store at Gedney Dyke where two storage strategies have been used and to look at dormancy break, respiration and weight loss information will be discussed as well as a look at fry colours from each storage regime.
Roger Stones from NFU Energy will be on hand to talk all things energy use and saving and Richard Colgan will be talking about the Produce Quality Centre pods that have been used to measure respiration.
For more details of times and address, and to book your place please visit the GB Potatoes website https://www.gb-potatoes.co.uk/events