Green agents are receiving increasing attention in arable farming. This is due to the decrease in chemical crop protection agents and the shift to integrated cultivation methods. However, the use of such agents requires more knowledge from the grower, as they often have a specific mode of action and application. Aloe Leaf is one of the green agents that has been successfully used in potato cultivation for several years.
Aloe Leaf is an extract of the Aloe Vera plant and is characterized as a powerful bio-activator that improves the overall health of the plant. Meindert Lawerman, cultivation advisor at Profytodsd, says: "We now have more than ten years of experience with the use of Aloe Leaf as a tuber treatment in potato cultivation. There is a lot of interest in these types of products, but growers also want to achieve a return on their investment." He adds: "Our research over the past few years has shown that Aloe Leaf really does offer added value."
Research into green crop protection products
Profytodsd has been researching green products for quite some time. Not every product that is tested proves to be successful in practice, but Aloe Leaf always comes out positive. The tuber treatment with Aloe Leaf results in a higher number of tubers, a larger yield in the marketable sizes and a clearer skin.
Tuber treatment with Aloe Leaf
The studies conducted compared seed potatoes that were treated with Aloe Leaf and those that were not. The harvested potatoes were assessed for tuber number and tuber quality. "The results show that the treatment results in higher tuber formation, more tubers and a brighter skin," Lawerman explains. "We conducted these trials with different potato varieties and saw the same positive effects each time."
Advice for application
The tuber treatment with Aloe Leaf can be carried out during the winter period, using a disk atomiser above the roller conveyor. The recommended dosage is 1 litre of Aloe Leaf per ton of seed potatoes.