According to the August 31 bulletin from the U.K.’s Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board (AHDB), Reglone’s days are numbered, says Eugenia Banks, a potato specialist with the Ontario Potato Board.
“Loss of the active ingredient Diquat will be a significant blow for European potato growers, as it is an effective desiccant, which helps achieve skin set—such a key requirement for successful storage—and cuts down the risk of disease spread immediately prior to harvest,” she says.
Below is the AHDB bulletin on Diquat:
Diquat Doomed
The NFU have recently reported that “It is expected that within the next few weeks the EU will officially publish the regulations banning the active. These regulations usually call on Member States to withdraw authorisations within 3 months and allow a grace period for use-up that expires within six months.” This would mean a ban on diquat use is likely to be implemented very early in 2019.
Loss of the active will be a significant blow as it is an effective desiccant which helps achieve skin set (such a key requirement for successful storage) and cuts down the risk of disease spread immediately prior to harvest.
AHDB plans to undertake some assessments of alternative desiccation solutions at its SPot Farm North within its Farm Excellence programme this autumn, alongside some evaluation work on maleic hydrazide usage for sprout control.
