DEVELOPMENT OF A DORMANCY RELEASE TECHNOLOGY - A REVIEW

Tuber dormancy can be released immediately in many commercially important potato cultivars by brief treatment (1-2 days) with bromoethane (BE) vapor at room temperature. The development of a large scale technology for BE application and safe removal through a capturing technique is necessary for successful application of this dormancy release method. Ideally, BE treatment of seed tubers would occur in a closed environment that would capture BE vapor in an unaltered form and allow controlled release for treatment of subsequent tuber lots. Results of screening studies for adsorbents indicate that the medium capacity activated carbon adsorbent, YAO has: i) a high capacity for BE; ii) a low capacity for water; and, iii) adsorbs and de-adsorbs BE quickly and easily. A plausible design of a large scale, dormancy release facility is presented. The proposed facility should meet present goals of the seed potato industry in an environmentally responsible manner.