12/16/05 WSU licenses spud sprout inhibitor

Washington Ag December 16, 2005 A new class of potato sprout inhibitors has been licensed by Washington State University to American Vanguard Corporation of California. Rick Knowles, WSU professor of horticulture and landscape architecture, developed the inhibitors, which involves the application of organic compounds after potatoes are harvested and at the onset of sprouting. Knowles says the predominate sprout inhibitor currently in use is a carbamate herbicide known as CIPC but regulatory tolerances of residues for it have been falling and some export markets don't want any residue at all. Knowles: "The chemicals that we discovered are naturally occurring in fruits and vegetables. They are common constituents making up the flavor and aroma of many fruits and vegetables and they are even used as food additives to flavor various processed foods." And Knowles says these chemicals dissipate rapidly leaving little residue. He says they are not as effective as CIPC but certainly more effective than other materials on the market. He says one application inhibits sprouting from three to four months and two applications are effective for more than a year. About half the potatoes produced in Washington are stored for some time so inhibiting sprout is important in maintaining potato quality. I'm Bob Hoff.