The award Inno Potato recognizes a company using ethylene for the seed potato conservation

One of the companies recognized by Inno Potato 2012, the 2nd. Edition of this Belgian award dedicated to the potato, was Comexplant, owned by Etienne Delbeke, in the Walloon region. The award was presented during the fair Interpom / Primeurs, in late November.Comexplant grows a total of 130 hectares of potatoes, 20% for consumption and 80% for as ?seed?. The main variety, 60%, is Bintje; the company has the exclusivity to multiply Exempla, and also grows others as Kennebec, Nicola and Ramos.The document with the profile of the winner (the pdf ?Laureat Inno Potato Award 2012?, below, in French language) explains that CIPC, based in chlorprofan, is not authorized for use in seed potatoes and that the contamination with this product may have affect sprouting. The mint extract is an expensive alternative, not only for its cost, but also because the application must be made by an outside company. Conservation at low temperature (2?C) is expensive energetically.The solution for Comexplant went with the application of ethylene, a product authorized in Belgium as Restrain in early 2012. The winners indicate that it also has the advantage that diffuses more easily than peppermint oil. In the generator (the 2nd. image), ethanol is converted to ethylene. The ideal application is in a cool chamber with, a reduced air exchange.