To increase the quality and yield of his seed potatoes, arable farmer Okke op den Kelder has been using ethylene gas from Restrain within his company Mts Peters – Op den Kelder for more than four years.
Ethylene gas from Restrain breaks through the top shoot dominance and suppresses sprout growth, causing the seed potato to produce more stems. "That ensures a high tuber yield, which I, as a seed potato grower, earn my money with," says Op den Kelder.
Rotate potato crates
Before Op den Kelder started working with ethylene gas, he rotated his potato crates to break off the top sprout. However, the growth of his company made it more difficult to manage that method. Op den Kelder: "You have to turn all the boxes every few weeks. You can only do that with one box at a time, which means that someone has to sit on the forklift for a whole day. If you are busy with other activities, you can sometimes That in turn results in too large sprouts, for example. In short, if you want to grow good seed potatoes, everything around it must be perfect."
Good alternative
Op den Kelder found a good alternative in 2018 with ethylene gas from Restrain, which is easy to use. "In close consultation with the supplier, we determine the starting time of the ethylene treatment. The generator is then installed for us and we can get started quickly," says Op den Kelder, who has little to worry about with the device. "The generator monitors the ethylene concentration itself and ensures that it remains at the right level," he says. "It is an advantage that you can sort the seed potatoes during the ethylene treatment without affecting the effect of the ethylene gas. As a result, you are not stuck with a deadline for sorting and you can still achieve good results."
Higher yield
Op den Kelder sees a positive effect of the ethylene treatment on his own yield. "We treat all our seed potatoes with ethylene. As a result, we achieve a higher yield in kilograms and we also get a better size ratio of our tubers." This means that he is very satisfied with Restrain's ethylene gas, which he certainly recommends to colleagues. "I chose Restrain because I am convinced of the technology and know what it will yield for my company. So it is definitely a good option for a higher return on your seed potatoes!"
Why choose Restrain?
Ethylene gas from Restrain is the most economical way to control the sprouting of your potatoes. Would you like to know more about the benefits of ethylene gas for your seed potatoes and what Restrain can do for you and your company? Find out all about it our website!