Potato Review

www.potatoreview.com POTATO REVIEW NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2020 25 FUNGICIDE TREATMENTS Limit pipework on applicator setup e spray system, whether using conventional or direct injection, will be the same, a popular example being the Team Storemaster 75. is simple piece of kit consists of a 75-400 litre tank, 240v twin diaphragm pump and a manual pressure regulation valve. When positioning the system, keep pipework as short as possible between the Storemaster and CTC 2 to avoid pressure drop reducing application quality. Even crop flow is key to accuracy Delivering a full and even crop ow to the roller table is crucial to ensure every individual tuber is presented to the applicator correctly for maximum coverage and accurate dosage. Conveyors and the roller table must therefore be the same width and because throughput can vary between crops, the roller table should have a variable speed motor. is allows the roller table to be speeded up for higher throughput, preventing the application area being overloaded and compromising coverage and slowed down for lower throughput to keep it full and prevent chemical wastage treating bare rollers. Some roller table manufacturers now o er driven rollers, which rotate seed tubers as they move under the nozzles and further improve coverage. Seed size also in uences crop ow along the roller table. Where possible, split grading before treatment is preferable, as tubers of a similar size will move through the system more evenly. Where this is not possible, installing a hopper just ahead of the roller table will help even out the ow of a seed crop of mixed sizes. “Where possible, split grading before treatment is preferable, as tubers of a similar size will move through the system more evenly.” ▼ ⊲ Keeping conveyors and roller tables the same width and fitting variable speed control will help maintain an even crop flow through the application area. Photo: Tim Scrivener ➜ ▲ ⊳ Calculating throughput and selecting the correct nozzles for the required applicator output are key steps in the calibration process. Photo: Tim Scrivener ➜