Orange Oil Sprout Inhibitor Approved for Ireland
UPL’s new orange oil product, ARGOS, which prevents sprouting in stored potatoes, has recently gained approval from Ireland’s regulatory body.
ARGOS is made from a natural substance, d-limonene (terpene), which is obtained by the physical extraction of oil from the orange peel. There is no residue, no smell or taste to the end product, and no withholding period. This means the product is flexible for fresh and processing sectors, with no effect on fry color.
The orange oil is applied as a hot fogging concentrate, and upon contact with the potato, the oil disrupts the growing point of newly emerging sprouts, burning them off and preventing germ growth.
ARGOS gained registration earlier this year in the Netherlands, where commercial trials since 2015 showed favorable performance against mint oils and other alternatives, even rivaling the outgoing established CIPC inhibitor.
Head of Technical Services for UPL UK and Ireland, Don Pendergrast, visited the trials and has been working with Sutton Bridge Research Station in the UK: “The loss of CIPC means the industry has had to rethink the whole storage strategy. While several other alternatives exist, they are not without their drawbacks – either requiring extended withholding periods or having potential impacts on the quality of stored potatoes. Orange oil may be a late entrant to the race, but it certainly has good form and offers versatility that other competitors cannot beat.”