We are researching new and cost-effective technologies for potato storage as an alternative to the chemical chlorpropham (CIPC), commonly used to manage tuber quality.

Potato tubers are natural over-wintering structures with a tendency to resume growth during storage, resulting in sprouted tubers with increased sugar levels. Maintaining sprout suppression and low reducing sugars during storage of processing potatoes is paramount for supply quality and minimising the formation of acrylamide.

Currently, potato storage is still heavily reliant on the chemical chlorpropham (CIPC) to manage sprouting but further restrictions are coming into force. Our work aims to develop novel, cost effective, benign, physiologically-targeted storage interventions which will suppress sprouting and maintain low sugars. This offers a route to incremental reduction in CIPC usage.