A method of potato haulm destruction by electrical current that is presently undergoing development trials by Crop.Zone in the Netherlands, has suffered something of a setback as a major partner in the programme has pulled out.
Named NUCROP, it works by spraying an electrolyte on to the crop to increase conductivity and then follows it with a high voltage electric current, which, it is claimed, disrupts the water supply within the plant tissue, rapidly causing its death.
There are two major elements to the technique – the first is the electrolyte solution which contains salts to increase the conductivity of the haulm surface. This is known as Volt.Fuel and is described as a hybrid herbicide.
The second part of the system is a PTO-powered generator which is mounted on the tractor and applies a current of between 1,000 and 5,500 volts through application plates brushing over the top of the crop.
Crop.Zone partners
In the Netherlands, there has been cooperation between a Claas dealer, Kamps de Wild, and Crop.zone in the trials, and it is this dealer which has pulled out.
In a statement on its website, the company states that it “sees that the applicability of the NUCROP solution in the Dutch market does not match the social expectations that are set”.
Quite what those expectations were are not detailed, but the company goes on to rather enigmatically suggest that “the results of these activities provided sufficient perspective. However, we see that this perspective does not match the vision and strategy of Kamps de Wild”.
Yet, not all are quite so despondent about the prospects and it is reported that Kraakman, a Dutch John Deere dealer, has stepped in to pick up the slack.
This would only be appropriate, as Crop.Zone was enrolled by John Deere into its 2022 Startup Collaborator programme and with the manufacturers help, the concept was awarded the DLG Agrifuture prize at Agritechica.
