Abstract
The successful marketing of fresh potatoes is heavily reliant upon tuber appearance. Past attempts to improve the color and appearance of fresh potatoes have included the adoption of new cultivars, application of waxes during packing, control of skin damaging diseases, and foliar application of growth regulators. An analysis of the potential economic impact of the use of the plant growth regulator ethephon(2-chloroethylphosphonic acid) was conducted. Data on the influence of ethephon application rate on tuber size distribution and yield was collected from field trials on the red-skinned cultivar Red LaSoda during 2011 and 2012. These data were then used in conjunction with records of red potato prices for the most recently available five crop years to calculate gross returns. Production costs, chemical and application costs, and packing costs were then subtracted to calculate net economic returns. No adjustment in market value was made to account for the improved skin color measured due to ethephon application, as there are no data to support this assumption. Ethephon rate did not significantly affect total yield in either year, but did influence the distribution of various market classes (A, B and Creamers) in 2012. There was some influence in net value by size class, but total net return was not significantly affected in either year. While ethephon is not a very expensive addition to the total cost of production, it does not appear to provide a significant economic benefit based on the change in tuber size distribution alone.
Resumen
El mercadeo exitoso de papa fresca se confía fuertemente en la apariencia del tubérculo. Los intentos pasados para mejorar el color y la apariencia de papa fresca han incluido la adopción de nuevas variedades, aplicación de ceras durante el empaque, el control de enfermedades dañinas de la piel y la aplicación foliar de reguladores del crecimiento. Se condujo un análisis del impacto económico potencial del uso del regulador de crecimiento etefon (ácido 2-chloroetilfosfonico). Se colectaron datos de la influencia del nivel de la aplicación del etefon en la distribución del tamaño de tubérculo y rendimiento, de ensayos de campo en la variedad de piel roja Red La Soda durante 2011 y 2012. Se usaron después estos datos junto con los registros de los precios de papa roja de los cinco años más recientemente disponibles del cultivo para calcular retornos brutos. Se sustrajeron los costos de producción, los costos de los agroquímicos y de su aplicación y del empaque, para calcular las ganancias económicas netas. No se hizo ajuste en el valor del mercado para que contara para el mejoramiento del color de la piel medido debido a la aplicación del etefon, porque no hubo datos para respaldar esta suposición. El nivel de etefon no afectó significativamente al rendimiento total en ningún año, pero si influenció la distribución de varias clases de mercado (A, B, y pequeñas prematuras Cremer) en 2012. Hubo alguna influencia en el valor neto por clase de tamaño, pero la ganancia total neta no se afectó significativamente en ningún año. Mientras que el etefon no es un agregado muy caro al costo total de producción, no parece suministrar un beneficio económico significativo con base solo en el cambio en la distribución del tamaño de tubérculo.
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Acknowledgments
Funding for this research project was provided, in part, by the Idaho Agricultural Experiment Station, USDA-NIFA, Hatch project 1006108 and the Idaho Potato Commission.
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Buhrig, W., Thornton, M.K., McIntosh, C. et al. The Influence of Foliar Ethephon Application on Economic Returns of Red LaSoda Potatoes. Am. J. Potato Res. 92, 697–703 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12230-015-9479-z
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12230-015-9479-z