Potato growers and store managers have been urged to reduce chemical residues even further below the proposed ten parts per million threshold.

Speaking at the British Potato Council’s Potato Storage Conference near Grantham (16 January), Certis’ Malcolm Nursey said that while zero chloropropham (CIPC) residue was an unrealistic aim, pressure from retailers meant growers should reduce residues further.

“The spotlight on residues means it’s more important than ever to observe minimum withdrawal periods following a CIPC application. This is 21-28 days for most CIPC products, or just two days with Gro-Stop 100.”

Certis trials with Gro-Stop have shown residues of 0.5-1.8ppm, with ‘excellent’ quality maintained under the Luxan low dose programme, he said.

The company has recently launched the STAR (Storage Treatment and Residues) initiative to help growers and store managers keep on top of sprouting problems without increasing residue levels.

At the event, it also launched a new six-page guide to help growers get the best from the low dose, low residue programme. See www.luxan.co.uk or email enquiry@luxan.co.uk for more.