ProNatural
Serve-Ag is the Australian distributor of ProNatural, the next generation in Douglas fir bark potato seed piece treatment. ProNatural replaces the popular and well respected product NuBark, as the product development process evolves. It has been shown in research trials to significantly assist in the natural process of suberisation (or wound healing) for cut potato seed. Improving the healing process reduces the risk of seed piece breakdown pathogens gaining entry to the cut surface of the potato. ProNatural has the ability to remove free moisture from the cut surface without removing moisture from the healing cells. Products such as cement will remove free moisture from the surface of the potato as well as removing moisture from the top cell layers of the potatoes, slowing down or even stopping the healing process.
ProNatural has been shown to out perform the commercial standard firbark. Initially, McCain Foods and Simplot Australia commissioned trials in an endeavour to identify products that assist the seed cutting process and help to reduce the incidence of seed piece breakdown resulting in poor germination and plant populations. These trials led to NuBark being identified as a product with considerable potential in the seed piece cutting process. The result of this work was the commercial availability of NuBark and subsequently ProNatural for use in assisting suberisation of potato seed pieces.
