From aphids to moisture stress, verticillium, and countless other threats, potato growers constantly battle yield robbers that keep them up at night.
Yet, strangely, there’s one profit killer that many growers seem to accept as inevitable, despite the heavy financial toll it takes.
I hear it in conversation after conversation: “Well, they’re only little sprouts…” or “A bit of shrink happens in every bin…”
Let me be crystal clear: allowing sprouting in your storage bin is like holding your wallet open for a thief. Sprouts drain energy from your potatoes, robbing them of weight, quality, and ultimately, marketable value. That’s not “just a little shrinkage”—it’s money. Your money. In some of the worst cases I’ve seen, storage bins have lost up to 15% of their marketable yield due to sprouting. Even in milder cases, the financial loss can be significant yet often goes unnoticed by storage managers until it’s too late.
So, what’s the game plan to keep those potatoes in dormancy as long as possible?
When it comes to rescue products for sprout control, several options exist—ethylene, clove oil, and the notably most effective, 1,4ZAP. But here’s the reality: prevention is always better than rescue. Once a potato reaches a certain physiological age, slowing its push to break dormancy becomes a real challenge.
For late-season storage, the best-in-class solution is 1,4SIGHT. This biochemical triggers enzymes in the tuber that slow maturation, extending dormancy while preserving quality and weight. Unlike some alternatives, 1,4SIGHT is naturally occurring, fully reversible, and even safe for seed potatoes, eliminating concerns over soil or storage contamination.
1,4SIGHT isn’t a sprout suppressant, though it effectively suppresses sprouts. Instead, it is a true dormancy enhancer. While managing peeping and sprouting, it also supports moisture retention, meaning your potatoes retain their field-fresh quality and marketable yield. Many producers report that it also reduces pressure bruising. Additionally, it activates fungistatic genes, which is a game-changer when unpredictable temperature swings in the fall and spring create ideal conditions for disease outbreaks.
By improving recovery and minimizing shrink, 1,4SIGHT helps farmers capture the best yield, best quality, and biggest profits from their stored crop. Don’t let sprouts steal your profits—take control before they take over.
