Maize: the gift of the gods

A “Typhoon” that blowsout fungal infectionBayer CropScience in Chile hasdeveloped a new system ofcontrolling post harvest diseasesin fruit.Researchers from Bayer CropScience inChile have developed an exclusive systemcalled Typhoon that will change the treatmentof fruit diseases in the post-harvestperiod. Now in its pre-marketing stage,this brand new technology is especiallybeneficial to producers and exporters oftable grapes allowing to lengthen the sellingperiod of the fruit and opening theopportunity to obtain better prices.The new application system, which hasbeen created to respond to the needs of theChilean fruit industry, is designed to beused in packing centers. Thanks to thetechnology it is now possible to applyfungicides during the process of packingtable grapes. It increases the period ofhealthy life of the stored grapes and duringtransport until their final destination, theconsumer in the importing country.Several efficiency tests carried out bythe University of Chile and BayerCropScience in Chile show, that it is possibleto considerably lengthen grape conservationperiod, which permits better planningof export schedules and thus increasingprofitability. The tests also found thatthe system enables a better control of postharvest diseases, such as Botrytis and acidrot, reducing the economical loss considerably.Typhoon appears to be an efficientalternative to traditional techniques likesulfur dioxide (SO 2 ).Rubén Santa María, Grape CropManager for Bayer CropScience in Chilesaid recently: "Chile exports around 90million boxes of table grape per season andexporters are constantly searching foralternatives allowing them to stock thegrape in good conditions for longer periods,in order to optimise its marketing,avoid high sea transport rates, and complywith environmental demands".Environmentally friendlytechnologyRicardo Saini, Development and ProjectManager of Bayer CropScience in Chile,explains that this is obtained thanks to ahighly efficient and environmentally safeprocedure. The system, he adds, is inaccordance with all the residue norms forthe different countries where the Chileantable grapes are exported to as well as withinternational standards of Good AgriculturalPractice.The Typhoon spraying equipment isbuilt in such way as not to cause productlosses during spraying. Furthermore, it ismodular and may be adapted to differentinstallations and/or packing lines. It isequipped with an automatic nozzle systemwhich ensures a uniform covering of thegrapes and that the correct dosage isapplied. The spraying method uses BayerCropScience fungicides which have provenvery efficient in controlling post-harvestdiseases and which are adequatelydesigned for this application system.Joint treatment demonstrationsThere is an ambitious on-going program oftreatment demonstrations throughout thetable grape producing zone in Chile. Thisprogram uses two perfectly equippedTyphoon machines and a well-trained professionalteam and will cover at least 30table grape packing houses in the differentvalleys. "We are working in coordinationwith several table grape exporting industriescompanies such as Dole, del Monte,Chiquita, Unifrutti and Rio Blanco. At alater date a good number of pallets oftreated fruit will be sent to different destinationsin order to follow-up and evaluatethe performance during low temperaturestorage and commercial process" explainsBenjamín Valiente, Fungicide Indicator,Bayer CropScience in Chile. The service isdue to start in Chile during the 2005/2006season. ■In charge of the Typhoon project: Ricardo Saini andRubén Santa María from Bayer CropScience in Chile.Qualified trained operators treating table grapes withTyphoon.