A new system uses pulsed UV-light cleansing could help seed potato growers eliminate harmful pathogens and produce cleaner seed.
Initial trials using the patented Pulsed UV technology from Techneat Engineering, involving growers and industry specialists, have already proved to be extremely successful in cleansing seed potatoes and an entirely new approach to non-chemical treatment of fresh produce to extend shelf life. The machine works by squeezing all the UV energy into a concentrated flash which lasts just fractions of a millisecond. This light wavelength terminally disrupts the DNA and physical cell structure of pathogens.
Experts at the Potato Council’s Sutton Bridge research centre have highlighted the Pulsed UV technique offers potential to tackle both bacterial and fungal diseases, including Blackleg, Silver Scurf, Black Dot and other skin diseases.
Laboratory trials have demonstrated a single flash of Pulsed UV light gave an 85% reduction in live Blackleg bacteria on the tuber surface, with a flash sequence on the treatment equipment giving a 97% reduction in the pathogen. It is also believed that the technology could have other applications, such as removing pathogens to extend the shelf life of fresh produce salad and vegetable crops.
