Use beet crop to remove volunteer potato threats

UK - May 10, 2007

Without treatment volunteer potatoes can reduce beet yields by up to 22t/ha and act as a bridge taking pests and diseases into subsequent potato crops.  

"As management of potato outgrade piles improves, volunteer potatoes in crops are becoming a more significant source of blight," warns British Potato Council's Research Director Mike Storey.  "Milder winters mean more tubers are surviving, so growers need to make the most of the opportunities to control volunteers in beet crops."  

Low dose weed control programmes, based around Dow Shield (clopyralid), give growers the best opportunity to get on top of potato volunteers.  

Research at Brooms Barn has highlighted the long-term strategic value of sequential low doses of Dow Shield. By persistently knocking back potato volunteers, effects have been noticeable for up to three years after first treatment.   

“For the best results, we recommend that Dow Shield is applied as 2-3 split doses in a mixture with ethofumesate and phenmedipham. Applications should be made every 10-14 days once the volunteer potatoes are five centimetres tall,” advises Dow AgroSciences Broad Leaved Crop Specialist Rene Pollak.