Potato Review

www.potatoreview.com POTATO REVIEW JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2020 15 BP2019 The current MRL is 10mg/CIPC/kg potatoes, but this will drop when the product is withdrawn. It is expected that EU-COM will enforce the new MRL in early 2021. Since CIPC can be rather persistent in previously treated potato stores, small residues can be picked up by crops stored in such stores, even if the crop is not treated with CIPC. “This leaves limited options, such as cleaning or rebuilding stores, and in addition looking for a legal framework that will allow for some residues at a low level,” said Dr Hofman. Together with the Potato Value Chain and UPL, Certis has requested the authorities for a temporary MRL, which is exceptional. A dossier, containing residue monitoring data, and other studies to allow a new risk assessment for consumer safety of CIPC and its metabolites will need to be reviewed by the EFSA and the EU Commission. He is expecting a temporary MRL of less than 1mg/kg, and expects some clarity on timelines for this to be approved or rejected by February 2020. Since the drop in MRL will likely happen in early 2021, the processing industry will not accept any potatoes from harvest 2020, which have been treated with CIPC, even though it is legally possible to use CIPC products till October 8 2020. “All stores previously treated with CIPC will need to be thoroughly cleaned in 2020, and demand for specialist external cleaning is likely to be high.” Best practice for cleaning is currently being determined by the value chain, and is likely to be published in February or March 2020. You may expect that a minimum activity will be to brush and vacuum entire stores, paying special attention to fans, ducts, pressure chambers and ceiling. Additional measures are under investigation. CIPC residues in boxes decline more quickly when these are stored outside, although this likely still not results in a complete removal of CIPC. Drones potential aid to crop inspection Some of the industry’s scientists have been working on innovative ways to make the life of growers and agronomists easier through technology. Identifying areas which may have been infected by virus may become easier in the future thanks to a headset connected to a drone allowing the operator to look at crops from up high or the distance of about a metre above the canopy in real time, revealed Dr Andy Evans, applied practice researcher for pest management at SRUC. Trials undertaken in summer showed how the operator could zoom in to look more closely at the crop to try and identify types of disease or varieties present. The results indicate that more refinements are required before the system is as effective as direct inspection on foot, but once refined, it could allow potato inspections to be completed without having to physically walk through the crop. “The technology is already out there, it just needs tweaking to optimise its efficiency,” he said. “It would also work for identifying black-leg infections, as it helps see if something is wrong with the crop.” He also sees drones of the future as being key to spray applications of crop protection products, in addition to highlighting areas needing rogueing. “We are losing crop protection products, making it more difficult to adhere to high quality standards, so the ability to identify and deal with potentially difficult areas is likely to help both the grower and inspector.” Dr Tjaart Hofman