In this edition - The European Fruit Magazine

Thinning Machines • Hail nets • Varieties • Organic fruit growing • Fertilisation • Plums • Rootstocks • Cherries • DCA storage • Research
European
Fruitgrowers Magazine
In this edition:
Thinning machines
Apple varieties in South Tyrol
The nutrient element calcium
Fire blight tolerant apple rootstocks
Japanese plums
DCA-storage and SmartFresh
language:
And much more ...
Baumschule · Nursery
of Nischler Georg & Co.
I-39020 KASTELBELL/TSCHARS - Galsaun, Römerstraße 23
SOUTH TYROL - ITALY
Office: Tel. +39 0473 624692 - Fax +39 0473 727354
Mobile +39 335 5927008 - info@baumschule-forcher.com
South Tyrol - Italy
Gala: Gala Venus“Fengal“ + Gala De Carli (FENDECA) +
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OUR LIST OF VARIETES 2010
Idared: Idared
Jonagold: Jonagored
Red Delicious Standard: Early Red One ® Erovan + Hapke Delicious
Red Delicious Spur: Red Del. Sandidge + Red Del. Sandidge + Scarlet Spur
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The Onyx
Working platform – For every plant system
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• In “V” system the working platform
can lower down to 90 cm
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crawling speed makes the pruning
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Onyx in higher plant system
For higher trees easier
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Root pruning
Onyx with hydraulic unloading system
and bin transport trailer
• The bin transport trailer
for efficient transport with empty
or full bins
Agri-com
Netherlands 0031-343562036
More photos: www.agricom.nl
or info by info@agricom.nl
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BESSELING, THE ART OF STORAGE
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Star®:
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E: sales@besseling-group.com
I: www.besseling-group.com
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Egelweg 1
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The Netherlands
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p.o. box 2711, 6030 aa nederweert, the netherlands
phone: +31-(0)495-631339
fax: +31-(0)495-626352
e-mail: gebr.janssen@janssen-rootstocks.nl
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Apple and pear tree specialist
We grow both modern and traditional varieties
Club varieties: KANZI, GREENSTAR, JUNAMI, WELLANT, RUBENS
Club varieties of pear: SWEET SENSATION, GOLD SENSATION
In addition, we are SKAL certified and we grow ORGANIC trees
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Specialists in grading and packing
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BOOMKWEKERIJEN - PEPINIERES - NURSERIES - BAUMSCHULE
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contents list
Articles:
South Tyrol shows interest
in Kanzi, Modi and Jazz.............................................. 10
Both opportunities and challenges
for the organic grower ............................................... 12
The nutrient element calcium .............................. 14
Increasingly more known about
the effect of thinning machines ......................... 18
Results with fire blight-tolerant
apple rootstocks .............................................................20
Japanese plums
conquer South Europe ............................................... 24
Pear growers in Emilia Romagna
plant cherry trees ........................................................... 27
Stressed trees suffer
more brown spot ............................................................29
Practical experience with new storage
technologies in Austria – Dynamic CA
(DCA) storage and SmartFreshTM.....................30
Automatic bagging machine
saves labour ........................................................................34
News/items:
EFM Today................................................................................8
V E RT EG E N WOOR DIG E R S:
Production and market developments ........36
Growers tell growers.................................................... 37
België:
News of the world ..........................................................38
nv Johan Nicolaï
Johan Nicolaï: 0032 (0)475.450.258
Gerty Wauters: 0032 (0)475.752.424
trees@nicolai.be
Research news...................................................................40
Nederland:
Marco Van Beusichem: 0031/654.950.432
info@loonbedrijfvanbeusichem.nl
Frankrijk:
Domaine des Croquantes
Myriam Sohier: +33 684.602.221
Johan Nicolaï: +32 (0)475.450.258
Denemarken:
H.B.H. Handel APS
Henning Hansen: +45 253.220.90
Spanje:
Blay Fruits S.L.
Joseph Blay: +34 972.758.970
n.v.
Johan NICOLAÏ
Lichtenberglaan 2050 - B3800 Sint-Truiden (België)
New products .................................................................... 42
Agenda .................................................................................... 43
COLOPHON
Website:
www.fruitmagazine.eu
Publisher:
Agrosan Ltd
Mickiewicza 47a/4
27-600 Sandomierz
Poland
Design / DTP:
LeafMedia; Krzysztof Pilch, Mariusz Bibik
Edited by:
FruitMedia B.V / Gerard Poldervaart
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NL- 4197 BS Buurmalsen
Nederland
Desk Editor:
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Agrolingua
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Agrolingua
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Circulation: 12.500
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Special edition of EFM
The editorial board and the publisher of EFM are
pleased to present you with the Best of EFM. This
special edition of the European Fruit Magazine is
a compilation of reprints of articles from previous editions. The aim is to give you an impression
of what you can expect from the European Fruit
Magazine, the monthly magazine for the professional fruit grower.
EFM is different to other magazines in that it crosses
borders presenting, as the European fruit magazine,
information from throughout Europe, written by
correspondents from various countries. The EFM
provides its readers with news, background information, research results and information concerning new products, varieties and cultivation techniques. A unique aspect is that EFM is published in
three languages, English, German and Dutch.
EFM is a valuable and almost indispensable source
of information for the professional and futureoriented grower.
Have we convinced you?
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Gerard Poldervaart
Editor in chief
Info
Target group
The European Fruit
Magazine (EFM) is
the magazine for
the professional and
future-oriented fruit
grower, the first edition was published in
January 2009. EFM is
intended for growers of apples, pears,
plums and cherries,
and for companies,
suppliers, consultants,
researchers and anyone else who is active
in the fruit sector. EFM
is published monthly
in three languages:
English, German and
Dutch.
EFM Today
ELEVEN HECTARES OF ANTIHAIL NETS FOR
THREEROW SPRAYER
Berend Jan van Westreenen, a fruit grower in the Dutch town of
Echteld, will be putting up anti-hail nets over 11 hectares of his
orchard this season. The structure will be fitted such that he can
still drive a three-row sprayer under the nets. The plot concerned
has already been planted with 8 hectares of Kanzi, which will be
expanded by 3 hectares this winter.
“My company suffered three incidents of severe hail damage in the
past four years,” says Van Westreenen. This explains why he decided to put up anti-hail nets. The concrete posts are not planted in
every row, as is customary for an anti-hail net structure, but there
is one post every three rows. This enables a machine which sprays
three rows at a time to be driven under the nets. Such sprayers are
supplied by both Munckhof and KWH.
As the rows are 3.25 metres apart, the centre-to-centre distance
between the posts is 9.75 metres instead of 3.00 to 3.50 metres as
is customary. To still give the anti-hail nets sufficient support, the
posts in the rows have been placed at centre-to-centre distances
of 3.00 metres. Contrary to regular hail net structures, the net will
not be suspended from the steel wires, but will be above them.
The anti-hail net structure is supplied and constructed by Fruit
Security of Austria and by Van Nifterik of the Netherlands.
The anti-hail net structure has a ridge height of 4.75 metres and
enables a three-row sprayer to be driven under it.
SCAB RESISTANT JUNAMI IN 2012
Plant Research International (PRI), based
in Wageningen, the Netherlands, intends to present a scab resistant Junami
during the World Horticultural Expo,
Floriade 2012. Scab resistance will be
introduced into Junami by incorporating genes that provide scab resistance
into the genetic material of this variety. PRI has already been able to isolate the Vf-gene, the resistance gene
The Dutch PRI wants to present a scab resistant Junami at Floriade 2012.
Photos: EFM
8
derived from Malus floribunda, and is
currently working on isolating several
other genes that could provide scab
resistance. Incorporating various resistance genes in a single variety creates a
more stable polygene resistance, that is
more difficult to erode than resistance
based solely on the Vf-gene. In virtually
all the scab resistant varieties currently
available on the market, the resistance
is based on that single Vf-gene.
The process by which genes can be artificially transferred between related
organisms that could also be bred conventionally is referred to as cisgenesis.
With transgenesis, another form of genetic modification, genes from nonrelated plants are transferred. Research
conducted by the University of Twente
in the Netherlands has revealed that
cisgenesis appears to be more socially
acceptable than transgenesis.
The Junami variety was selected as PRI
works in cooperation with Inova Fruit,
the European variety manager of Junami.
EFM Today
IFO SEARCHING FOR THE NEW SUPER
VARIETY
IFO, the French company, thinks that it will be able to launch
an apple onto the market in a few years time that is scab resistant, has a sugar level above 15 Brix, a storage life of a year and
a shelf life of at least a month. At the start of February, IFO offered a glimpse behind the scenes of its breeding programme.
Elsewhere in this edition you can find an extensive article that
addresses IFO’s variety breeding and selection programme.
ONE THIRD OF THE APPLE HECTARAGE
AROUND THE BODENSEE UNDER HAIL
NETS
After several years of very heavy hail, since 2000, the hectarage
of hail nets on farms on the German side of the Bodensee
has increased markedly. Now an estimated one third of the
hectarage is protected by hail nets. When new orchards are
planted, long poles are erected as standard to allow hail nets
to be installed later.
MANY PROBLEMS RELATED TO PEAR
DECLINE IN ITALY
Poor growth of pear trees due to Pear Decline is a major problem in the Italian fruit region of Emilia Romagna. Pear Decline is
caused by a mycoplasma, a virus-like organism. Affected trees
grow poorly, have lightly coloured leaves and small pears and
often colour red in the autumn. The mycoplasma is transmitted
by the pear psylla. Experts think that the origin and viral status
of the planting material also has an influence on the level of
infection. Abate Fétel, the most important variety grown in
Italy, has proved to be very susceptible to Pear Decline.
FEWER APPLES AND MORE PEARS
IN THE EU
Across the 27 countries of the European Union, apple production is forecast to be 7% down on last year, while 16%
more pears are expected to be picked. These figures were
announced on 7 August at the Prognosfruit 2009 conference in Maastricht.
Apple production across the 27 EU countries is expected to
be 10,743,000 tonnes this year. The pear harvest is estimated
at 2,521,000 tonnes.
The lower apple production in 2009 is the result of much lower
production in Poland and Hungary. After a poor harvest in
2007, there was a record harvest in these countries in 2008.
The harvest forecast for almost all apple varieties is lower this
year. Only production of the new varieties including Braeburn,
Fuji and Cripp’s Pink is set to increase.
Pear production, on the other hand, is likely to be higher
than 2008 for almost all varieties. Last year’s crop was below
average on account of poor setting caused by bad weather
during the flowering season. Production for 2009 is expected
to be at the same level as in 2007 and previous years.
Blue plums
On 13 August in Randwijk (the Netherlands) fruit growers could examine and taste Ras 1 (Variety 1) from the series of new blue plum varieties
from The Greenery. Ras 1 has the earliest ripening fruit from a series that
currently consists of three new varieties that will be marketed under the
brand name Lazoet. The intention is to offer plums that look and taste
the same for a period of eight to ten weeks. The first variety from the series ripens later than Opal but earlier than Reine Victoria. The two other
varieties ripen after Reine Victoria.
9
Gerard Poldervaart
gerard.poldervaart@fruitmagazine.eu
South Tyrol shows interest
in Kanzi, Modi and Jazz
As in every other fruit-growing region in
Europe, new varieties are also closely monitored in South Tyrol. In this North Italian
region, Pink Lady has claimed a secure position and its hectarage is still increasing.
Other varieties, such as Fuji, Pinova and
Rubens, have proved to be less suitable for
the South Tyrol climate than originally envisaged. These varieties are now hardly ever
planted there.
Walter Guerra, variety researcher at the
Laimburg research
station in South Tyrol.
North Italy is showing increasing interest in the
new apple varieties Kanzi, Modi and Jazz. Researcher Walter Guerra from the Laimburg research station in Pfatten assesses Kanzi to be
a suitable variety for South Tyrol. The variety is
recommended for planting at sites at a somewhat
higher altitude in this region. Since the spring
of 2005, around 310,000 Kanzi trees have been
planted here (see Table 1).
Guerra has still too little experience of the new
varieties Modi and Jazz to be able to provide advice about them. But the growers in South Tyrol
are very interested in these varieties. They have
ordered a total of 133,000 Modi trees for planting
in the spring of 2009. The interest in Jazz is even
greater: they have already ordered 280,000 of
these trees for planting in the spring of 2010.
Table 1. The number of Kanzi, Modi and Jazz trees planted in South Tyrol.
Year
Kanzi
Modi
Jazz
2004
2005
2006
2007
2008
Total up to and
including 2008
2009 (ordered)
2010 (ordered)
1.100
4.300
44.000
126.000
130.000
20
450
4
4.500
14.500
9
130
2.000
35.000
310.000
20.000
38.000
76.000
-
133.000
-
280.000
Source: Walter Guerra, Laimburg research station
10
Modi colours easily, also in warm regions.
Photos: AllroundFruit
The new varieties must compete with Golden
Delicious, the main apple variety grown in South
Tyrol. Golden gives high yields and still attracts
a good price. Moreover, the production levels
of the new varieties lag behind that of Golden
(see Table 2).
Kanzi favourable
Nicoter, the variety behind the Kanzi brand, was
created by cross breeding Gala and Braeburn in
1990. The production level of Nicoter in South
Tyrol is 10% lower than that of Golden Delicious.
According to Guerra, the fruit size does not pose
a problem. However, the researcher does question Kanzi’s colouring. The apples colour poorly,
in particular under hail nets, in regions where
there is little difference between day and night
temperatures and in the middle of the trees. Kanzi
needs cold nights to colour. For this reason, the
variety is only recommended for planting in orchards where fruit colouring is good, for instance
in the mountains. Kanzi is harvested at the same
time as Golden Delicious.
According to Guerra, in 2008, the total Kanzi hectarage in Europe was 750 ha. The variety owner’s objective is to develop Kanzi into a basic
In South Tyrol, Kanzi is recommended for mountain
areas.
Jazz has a particularly good aroma.
European variety with an annual production of
100,000 tonnes.
Modi colours easily
Modi is a scab-resistant variety resulting from a
cross between Gala and Liberty. The apple skin
has an intense dark red colour. The variety does
not require cold nights to colour and is therefore
very suitable for growing in the lower altitude,
flat regions in South Tyrol and the Po Valley. In
some cases, some russeting was found on the
skin. According to Guerra, this mainly occurs in
the northern European growing regions.
Alessio Martinelli from CIV, an Italian company,
reports that at the end of 2008 there were 512,000
Modi trees in Europe, which corresponds to 171
ha. CIV is a joint venture of three large Italian tree
nurseries. In addition, it is the breeder and owner
of the varieties Civni/Rubens and CIVG198/Modi.
In 2008, the production of Modi was still limited at
424 tonnes, but if the variety owner has any say in
the matter, this will grow to 6,846 tonnes in 2010
and to more than 17,000 tonnes in 2012.
Following the 2008/2009 planting season, 1.2
million Modi trees will be growing in Europe,
which corresponds to about 400 ha. The trees can
mainly be found in the warm growing regions of
Southern Europe: the Po Valley and South Tyrol
(both in Italy) and Spain. In South Tyrol, Modi is
harvested seven to ten days earlier than Golden
Delicious.
Jazz smaller than Gala
of Braeburn and Gala. Since 2002, this variety has
been marketed under the brand name Jazz by the
New Zealand sales organisation ENZA. According
to Guerra, in 2008, Scifresh/Jazz had a worldwide
hectarage of 2,300 ha. In Europe, this variety is
grown in Great Britain, France, Switzerland and
Italy (South Tyrol).
In Guerra’s opinion, Jazz is a very tasty apple with
good fruit properties. A point of attention is the
fruit size. In part due to poor pollination, the apples often have a long shape and are smaller than
Gala apples (see Table 3).
Scifresh/Jazz needs cold nights to allow the fruit
to colour and therefore it is unsuitable for growing in the lower altitude regions of South Tyrol.
You often see apples in a cluster that lag behind
in size and colour with respect to the other fruit.
Jazz ripens five to seven days before Braeburn.
Sensory profile
Sensory profiles show that Kanzi and Jazz score
better than Braeburn with respect to firmness,
crispness and juiciness. When compared to Braeburn, Kanzi has a lower sugar content, and Jazz a
higher one. For Jazz in particular the high score
for aroma stands out.
During storage, Modi looses a relatively large
amount of acid and as a result has a rather sweet
flavour. This variety is mainly seen as a competitor to the frequently grown (in South Tyrol) Red
Delicious. The advantage of Modi is that the apples become mealy slower than Red Delicious
apples.
IFTA Conference
From 1 to 3 February, the International
Fruit Tree Association,
a fruit growers’ association with approximately 1100 mainly
American members,
held its annual conference in Potsdam, near
Berlin. For two and a
half days, the attendants could listen to
lectures about product developments,
growing techniques,
new varieties, cherry
cultivation and organic fruit growing.
In this article, you will
find the most striking news about the
lectures on new apple
varieties in SouthTyrol.
In 1985, the New Zealand research institute HortResearch selected the variety Scifresh from a cross
Table 2. The total production in 2006 through 2008 (in kilos per
tree) of Golden Delicious, Kanzi, Modi and Jazz on the trial site in Table 3. The average percentage of Gala, Kanzi, Modi and Jazz apLatsch (Vinschgau). The trees were planted in the spring of 2005; ples larger than 70 mm on the Laimburg research station, in the
the planting distance is 330 by 90 cm.
years 2006 through 2008.
Variety
Production
2006-2008
Variety
Apples >70 mm (%)
Golden Delicious
Kanzi
Modi
Jazz
40
37
32
27
Gala (Brookfield)
Kanzi
Modi
Jazz
81
91
89
61
11
Gerard Poldervaart
gerard.poldervaart@fruitmagazine.eu
Both opportunities and challenges
for the organic grower
Info
IFTA Conference
From 1 to 3 February, the International
Fruit Tree Association,
a fruit growers’ association with approximately 1100 mainly
American members,
held its annual conference in Potsdam, near
Berlin. For two and a
half days, the attendants could listen to
lectures about product developments,
growing techniques,
new varieties, cherry
cultivation and organic fruit growing.
In this article, you will
find the most striking
news about the lectures on organic fruit
production.
In one region, the development of the
organic fruit-growing sector has almost
come to a standstill while in another the
hectarage is steadily growing. During
the conference of the International Fruit
Tree Association (IFTA) in Potsdam, attention was also given to the latest developments in the organic sector. This
article describes some of the striking new
developments.
Bio-Topaz
In a period of ten years, Topaz has, as the only scabresistant variety, managed to find its place in the
product range of organically grown apple varieties.
In the European organic sector, Jonagold is the
largest variety with respect to produced volume,
followed by Golden and Gala. These three main
varieties are followed by Topaz, and then Elstar.
The efforts of the Austrian organic growers have
certainly contributed here. With the introduction
of the Bio-Topaz brand, the organic growers have
managed in ten years to acquire a permanent position on the supermarket shelves. Nowadays, according to Fritz Prem, fruit grower and chairman
of the European Bio-Fruit Forum, 70% of all apples
grown organically in Austria are Bio-Topaz.
Supporter 2 instead of M9
It is certainly not easy to grow fruit organically. The
grower must try and realise an acceptable production level of a good quality by using a great deal of
inventiveness. Not all problems that a grower encounters can be solved, as shown by the introduction of Franco Weibel, head of FiBL, the research
and advisory institute for the organic fruit sector
in Frick, Switzerland.
12
Michael Weber; co-organiser of the IFTA Conference and
variety manager for among others Fruit Select’s Opal.
Photo: AllroundFruit
Organic growers often plant the trees somewhat
further apart than conventional growers, so that
the leaves dry faster to give fungal infections less
opportunity to strike. When growing organically,
it is difficult to keep the strips under the trees free
of grass and weeds. This is not appreciated by
trees on the M9 rootstock. According to Weibel,
the Supporter 2 rootstock can cope better with
the competition from weeds and grass. Weibel
says that trees on Supporter 2 exhibit somewhat
stronger growth and demonstrate good productivity.
More phenols
It is difficult to get sufficient nutrients into trees
grown organically. This is because artificial fertilisers are not allowed and leaf nutrients are only
allowed to a limited degree. During the growing
season, there are very few opportunities to correct shortages, with the result that there is a loss
of production and quality. When using compost,
the ratio between potassium and calcium often
becomes unfavourable, with the result that more
apples suffer from bitter pit. A positive aspect is
that because artificial fertiliser is not used, there
is no adverse influence on soil life.
Crop protection demands a completely different
approach when growing organically when compared to growing conventionally. Because hardly
any chemical products are allowed, no residues
are found on organic fruit. Therefore, the discussions regarding MRLs in recent months do not
play a role in organic crop production.
When growing organically, the defence mechanisms of the plant against diseases and pests is
activated. Phenols play an important role in the
plants’ defence against diseases and pests. Organically grown apples contain 10 to 20% more phenols, which are beneficial to human health, than
conventionally grown fruit, according to Weibel.
Hot water to combat
Gloeosporium
“By using hot water, we can limit the loss due to
Gloeosporium fruit rot by up to 3-5 %”, said Margit Holland to her colleague peer growers during
the IFTA congress, at the beginning of February
in Potsdam. Margit Holland, together with her father Eberhard Holland, has a 42-hectare organic
fruit farm in Ravensburg in the Bodensee region
of South Germany (www.bonhausen.de). The majority of the 21 hectares of apples they grow are
Topaz.
“Until we started using hot water treatments in
1999, we had major problems with Gloeosporium.
Losses of up to 15 to 30% were not an exception”,
says Holland. It is very important that the water
in which the apples are submerged is at the correct temperature. Elstar, Jonagold and Topaz are
treated for two minutes at 52 ºC. For varieties that
have a thin skin, such as Golden Delicious, this
temperature is too high and it damages the skin.
Therefore a water temperature of 50ºC is used
for these apples.
However, to an increasing degree Gala is also starting to experience losses due to Gloeosporium rot,
says Weibel.
Fruit Select introduces Opal
In his breeding programme, Jaroslav Tupy tries
to combine the good properties of Topaz that he
bred himself, with other varieties. The varieties of
apples that are being marketed under the Golden
Sunshine Line name are currently receiving considerable attention. The Golden Sunshine Line is a
brand for the organic fruit sector and is made up
of the varieties Opal, Luna, Sirius and Orion.
In addition to the Golden Sunshine Line, the Fruit
Select company has been established to test and
introduce the Opal variety for the conventional
sector. In the spring of 2008, Fruit Select planted
small pilot plots at a large number of locations
throughout Europe. With the data obtained from
these pilot plantings, Fruit Select will identify the
regions in which Opal can best be grown. Fruit
Select sees opportunities to grow Opal in particular in the warmer regions of Europe, where
Golden Delicious can also be grown effectively.
Fruit Select is a joint venture with an international group of shareholders: the French companies
SNC Elaris (tree nurseries Davodeau-Ligonniere)
and Starfruits, the Austrian nursery Deimel, the
Czech nursery Vorácek and Vermeerderingstuinen Nederland.
Margit Holland:
With a hot water
treatment, we manage to limit the loss
due to fruit rot to 3
to 5%.
Opal
Opal originated from
a cross between Golden Delicious and Topaz that was created
in 1992. The variety
is scab resistant and
is somewhat similar
to Golden Delicious,
but with an orange
blush. It is harvested
just after Golden. According to the Swiss
variety researcher
Simon Egger, during
harvest, the apples
have a firmness of 8 to
9 kg/cm2 and a sugar
content of 12-14 ºBrix.
The flavour is rated as
good.
Costs € 0.10 per kilo
“Organic growers cannot use fungicides to prevent fruit rot as conventional growers do. The use
of SmartFresh (1-MCP) is not allowed either. A hot
water treatment immediately after harvesting is
currently one of the only methods the growers
have to combat fruit rot. Dynamic CA storage
(DCA) also offers possibilities when storing organic
fruit”, says Franco Weibel.
According to Weibel, an installation that can be
used to submerge apples in hot water costs between €40,000 and €50,000. Energy consumption
is high, which makes the cost of treating apples approximately €0.10 per kilo, according to Weibel.
Topaz and Pinova are well-known in the organic
sector for their susceptibility to Gloeosporium.
Opal is scab resistant and is somewhat similar to
Golden Delicious.
Photo: AllroundFruit
Temperature
The correct temperature is very important
when using hot water
as a treatment against
fruit rot. A temperature of 50 to 52ºC can
effectively kill fruit rot
fungi such as Gloeosporium, without
damaging the apples.
If the temperature of
the water drops too
far, it is possible for
it to promote fungal
growth.
13
Gerhard Baab
PD Dr. Michaela Schmitz-Eiberger
DLR Rheinpfalz
INRES - University of Bonn
The nutrient element calcium
Info
Authors
Gerhard Baab
DLR Rheinpfalz,
Kompetenzzentrum
Gartenbau
Walporzheimer
Straße 48
53474 Bad NeuenahrAhrweiler, Germany
PD Dr. Michaela
Schmitz-Eiberger
INRES - Universiteit
van Bonn
Auf dem Hügel 6
53121 Bonn, Germany
Bitter pit in
Braeburn.
Photos: Gerhard Baab
14
Calcium is a vital element for fruit quality and to prevent disorders during storage. In addition, calcium in the soil has
different ways of influencing the absorption of other nutrients. This article
outlines the backgrounds of the various processes in which calcium plays
a role.
Calcium (lime) serves various functions in the
soil. Firstly, in the form of calcium hydroxide
(slaked lime, CaOH2) or calcium bicarbonate it
neutralises the acids in the soil (H+). In this way,
calcium regulates the pH of the soil and has a
major influence on nutrient availability. Calcium
also prevents heavy metals leaching to the subsoil layer and into ground water.
Another function of calcium is that it encourages biological activity in the soil. The majority of soil organisms thrive best under slightly
acidic soil conditions.
In addition calcium creates calcium bridgesbetween the soil colloids, which is beneficial
to the crumbliness of the soil. This improves
the structure, the pore volume and permeability of soil.
Depletion
p
of calcium is caused by acidification of the soil, leaching and uptake
into the
th fruit. Depletion caused by
leaching per hectare per year is
leach
approximately 80 to 100 kg CaO
app
with 600 to 900 mm precipitaw
tion. Depletion caused by soil
ti
aacidification and uptake by the
ffruit is 170 kg CaO. So, on an
annual basis a total of 300 to
400 kg CaO per hectare is lost,
which has to be replenished
vvia maintenance fertilization.
Availability in the soil
The total amount of freely available calcium in
the soil does not always correspond to the soil
pH, but is influenced by:
• the rocks that originally formed the soil and
the type of soil (fraction of clay minerals);
• the calcium saturation of soil colloids. Lime is
primarily a fertilizer. Only when the clay-humus
complex has become saturated, will there be
enough free Ca2+ present in the soil moisture
and therefore available for the plant;
• the presence of antagonists. The presence of
other cations in particular such as ammonium,
potassium, magnesium and sodium influence
the calcium absorption;
• the extent of acidification of the soil. With
increasing acidity, extra competition occurs
between calcium and ions of aluminium (Al3+),
hydrogen (H+) and manganese (Mn2+).
Calcium uptake
Calcium uptake takes places passively in the form
of Ca2+ions via the root tips. The uptake depends
on the root growth, soil temperature, soil moisture content and soil texture. Some 80 to 90%
of the amount of calcium required in that year
is taken by the tree from the soil and only 10 to
20% originates from the reserves in the wood.
The calcium content in the leaves rises continually
until the end of October. The fruits on the other
hand are mainly supplied with calcium during
the cell division phase, in other words during
the first six weeks after blossoming. During the
cell expansion phase the calcium concentration in the fruit is diluted as a result of fruit and
shoot growth (see figure 1). Calcium uptake is
stimulated by a moist soil and by sufficiently
high transpiration and is negatively influenced
by a dry, cold soil.
Distribution in the tree
In the plant
The presence of calcium in the plant has several
functions.
• Calcium is an important building block of the
protopectin, a sticky substance that plays an
essential role as the ‘ cement’ that holds the
cells together and creates stability in the cell
structure (see figure 3).
• Calcium binds phospholipids in the cell membranes and therefore pays an important contribution to the stability and functioning of
the cell membranes, including transporting
substances and the gas exchange between
the cells.
• Calcium is part of a large number of enzymes
that play a role in the ripening process. In this
role calcium reduces the respiratory activity
and ethylene production in the fruit. This retards the respiratory processes and ethylene
induced ripening process that occurs post harvest, or following the shelf life period (mealy
apples).
• Calcium plays an important part in preventing
environmental stress (heat, cold, wind, UV-B).
Cox is susceptible to calcium deficiency.
Stress causes the formation of free acid radicals
at cellular level (see figure 2). Calcium binds
with the protein calmodulin, which boosts the
plant’s natural resistance. Using various substances –for example vitamin (α-Tocopherol) or
antioxidative enzymes (catalase, superoxidedismutasis) –the plant’s own immune system
neutralises free radicals (O2-) and converts them
into harmless oxygen molecules (O2). In this
process the calcium bound in the cell walls or
in the cell membranes plays a more important
role than the free calcium in the cell plasma.
Figure 1. Progress of calcium absorption from blossoming to harvest and
dilution of the Ca-content of the fruits as the fruits increase in size
(J. Streif, KOB Bavendorf)
Calcium content in the fruit
The transport of calcium over large distances in
the tree mainly takes place via the xylem vessels that is to say in the transpiration flow. As
their transpiration rate is much higher (ratio 1:10),
leaves are supplied far better with calcium than
the fruits. To transport calcium to the fruits, the
inner bark (phloem) is important. Due to the
poor mobility of calcium in the phloem vessels
no calcium travels from the leaves to the fruits.
Transport over short distances from cell to cell is
driven by a so-called ‘auxin pump’ mechanism.
The auxin producing tissues in the plant have a
hormonal sink effect and therefore have priority
in the supply of nutrients and water. This mainly
concerns young leaves found in the shoot tips
and close to the fruits (rosette leaves), and the
flowers and seeds in young fruits. Trees that blossom well and exhibit a good fruit set and healthy,
well developing leaves therefore absorb more
calcium in total than trees that flower badly, have
low production and poor leaf quality.
To a certain extent shoot growth is useful in
supplying the entire plant, and so the fruits, too,
with calcium via the transpiration flow. In the
summer the young leaves, especially, compete
directly with the fruit close to the shoots for the
supply of calcium If growth is too strong and too
prolonged this may cause calcium to be diverted
from the fruits in favour of the shoot tips. Even
and balanced growth and production and halting
growth at an early stage are the most important
aspects in creating a good distribution of calcium
throughout the tree.
Sufficiently
high content
in small fruits
Blossoming
July
Dilution of the
Ca-content
in large fruits
Harvest
Figure 2. Stress resistance at cell level: neutralisation of free radicals by the
calcium calmodulin complex
(M. Schmitz-Eiberger, INRES - University of Bonn)
Ca
O2
Ca-
calmodulin
complex
O2-
15
Figure 3. Occurrence of bitter pit through gradual instability of the middle
lamella
pectin
strands
cell with
cell wall
stage 1
intact
middle lamella
stage 2
starting Cadeficiency
collapse of mutual
cell connections
Calcium deficiency
The Auxin pump
Transport over short
distances from cell to
cell is driven by a socalled ‘auxin pump’
mechanism. The auxin
producing tissues in
the plant have a hormonal sink effect and
therefore have priority in the supply of
nutrients and water
Calcium deficiency basically occurs in all varieties
of fruit and principally in those parts of the plant
that show little transpiration, i.e. mainly the fruits.
Apples are particularly susceptible to calcium
deficiency. On the one hand due to the genetic
make up of the apple, but on the other hand as
apples, because of commercial considerations,
are forced to grow larger than the normal fruit
size for a specific variety.
Visible deficiency symptoms in the leaf are
mainly seen in poorly bearing trees. From the
early summer, pale - later chlorotic - patches appear at the tip of the leaves, ranging from small
patches to entirely chlorotic leaf tips.
Deficiency symptoms in fruits can occur with
all types of fruit. Fruits with calcium deficiency
ripen earlier, the decomposition of chlorophyll in
the skin is encouraged (yellow discoloration) and
the fruits have a low acidity and lack firmness.
In addition, fruits with a calcium deficiency age
quicker (senescence) and the flesh becomes soft
sooner, mainly after a period of display at room
temperature. The fruits also have a greater susceptibility to rotting; with apples infected by
gloeosporium, with berries lower resistance to
Botrytis and with stone fruit sensitivity to fruit rot.
On trees with a calcium deficiency any fruits damaged by hail, for example, will heal more slowly
than those on trees with an adequate calcium
level. With apples a calcium deficiency exaggerates all kinds of physiological disorders such as
flesh browning, scald, Jonathan-spot,Elisespot, lenticel blotch and bitter pit.
Table 1. Risk categorisation of Cox’s, Braeburn, Kanzi and Jonagold for physiological
disorders based on the Ca, K and N content in the flesh
Optimal
Normal
Critical
Very critical
16
Ca- content in fruits
(in mg/100 g fresh weight)
K/Caratio
N/Caratio
> 5,5
4,5 - 5,5
< 4,5
< 3,5
< 20
20 - 30
30 - 40
> 40
< 10
10 - 20
> 30
Bitter pit is caused, in brief, by the following.
With optimal calcium supplies, the protopectin
(strands of pectin plus calcium) create calcium
bridges which impart stability to the middle lamella (see figure 3). With low supplies of calcium,
or displacement of Ca2+by Mg2+or K+ the mutual links between the cells are destabilised. The
place of calcium is occupied by magnesium. As
magnesium and potassium, contrary to calcium,
lack the ability to bind cells, the cell structures
collapse and turn brown. Magnesium binds to
the sulphates and epsom salt is formed (magnesium sulphate). This gives the flesh a bitter flavour
where the patches are visible (bitter pit).
Risk of disorders
A serious threat of disorders caused by calcium
deficiency is present in:
• orchards with too low calcium availability in
the soil (low pH, little free calcium);
• trees with rosette leaves damaged by frost or
night frost or rosette leaves with poor nutrient
level (‘Ca-pump’);
• sensitive varieties (for example Kanzi, Braeburn,
Cox’s, Boskoop, Elise and Junami >75 mm);
• apples harvested too early (bitter pit) or too
late (brownish flesh, gloeosporium);
• fruits too large for the variety concerned;
• newly planted trees with strong growth and
trees with low production (unfavourable calcium distribution);
• trees with a too high nitrogen, potassium or
magnesium content.
Relevant in the first place are low calcium, potassium, nitrogen and magnesium contents in
the flesh. The mutual ratios in particular –especially the K/Ca and N/Ca ratio –are important
indicators of the potential risk of physiological
disorders in the fruits (see table 1). A few of these
also partially occur while the fruit is still on the
tree (bitter pit, lenticel blotch), others only after
a period of storage (brown flesh, scald, storage
pit, gloeosporium).
Gloeosporium
in Pinova.
ver
Pink was ne
l
so beautifu
Strong
properties:
• Good flavour
• Variety with large fruit
• Extraordinary pink colour
• Storage properties similar
to Jonagold
• Not a club variety
• Healthy tree
INFO: Jabema B.V. Telephone +31 (0)613161060
Gerard Poldervaart
gerard.poldervaart@fruitmagazine.eu
The Tree Darwin thinning machine.
Increasingly more known about
the effect of thinning machines
Info
Time
A couple of things
have become clear
with respect to the use
of thinning machines.
For instance, the time
of thinning appears
to be more important
than initially thought.
The optimum period
is from the moment
that the main flower
is open until the tree
is in full bloom. If the
trees are thinned earlier, there is a risk of
entire flower clusters
being knocked from
the tree. Thinning later
results in more leaf
damage.
In recent years, intensive experiments
have been held with mechanical thinning in almost all research stations. This
subject was extensively addressed during the open days organised by various research orchards and stations this
summer. This article examines several
recent experiences from research and
the field.
the other. The angle of the arms with respect to
the tree can be adjusted both horizontally and
vertically. The speed of rotation of the shaft(s) of
both machines can also be adjusted.
A thinning technique that is still being researched
is to shake the trees. Here machines that are normally used to shake olives or cider apples from
the trees are now used to mechanically thin stone
fruit and apples.
Reduced labour
There are two types of thinning machine on the
market that must be mounted on a tractor: the
Tree Darwin and the ‘type Bonn’. The Tree Darwin is the oldest of the two. The plastic thinning
strings of this machine are mounted on a vertical shaft. The angle that the shaft makes with
respect to the tree can be hydraulically adjusted
vertically.
The Bonn thinning machine consists of three arms
with plastic strings that are mounted one above
When used on Golden Delicious, in 2008, the ‘type
Bonn’ machine reduced the number of hours required for manual thinning by a little more than
50%. This was shown by research carried out by
PCFruit’s research orchard for hard fruit and stone
fruit (PCFruit-PPS) in Sint-Truiden, Belgium. During the open day that the research orchard held
on 21 August, researcher Hans Goossens showed
that in 2009, comparable results were achieved
for Braeburn. The position and rotational speed
of the thinning arms only had a limited effect on
the thinning result (see Table 1).
During the Apfeltag in the research orchard in
Klein-Altendorf near Bonn (Germany), consultant
Ralf Nörthemann showed the results of a thinning
trial for Golden Delicious. Using the Tree Darwin,
an effect was achieved that was comparable to
manual thinning (see Table 2).
Tree shape influences thinning
At the farm of fruit grower Helmut Bröhan, thinning Elstar using the Tree Darwin was very
successful this year.
Photos: EFM
18
In Das Alte Land in North Germany, eight or
nine Tree Darwin thinning machines are now in
use. Helmut Bröhan is one of the growers who
used the machine this year. During the ‘Vorernteführung’ at the end of August – a day organised by researchers and consultants in Jork – the
result could be seen at his farm. The unthinned
After mechanical thinning, the apples were nicely distributed over the tree (on the right).
six-year old Red Elswout trees had too many apples, too many of which were smaller than 70
mm. The trees that were thinned using the Tree
Darwin (driving speed 8 km per hour and rotating speed 240 revs per minute), were fine. The
size of the apples was visibly better than those
on unthinned trees. Moreover, the apples were
nicely distributed over the tree.
“The grower should not be afraid when operating the thinning machine”, warned consultant
Maike Steffens. “Dare to pass close to the tree, as
passing further away results in more thinning on
the outside.” Furthermore, the shape of the tree
is also important. “A slender tree is the best. For
trees that have thick, strong branches, the machine sometimes knocks off all the flowers, while
the flowers on hanging branches are thinned a
lot less effectively.”
was found in the number of fruit on organically
grown Elstar in the research orchard in Jork, but
no improvement was found in the number of
flower buds the next year. According to Clever,
the stronger growth that can be seen after mechanical thinning could cause fewer buds to develop. Moreover, the damage to the leaves that
is often visible after mechanical thinning could
have the same effect.
Table 1. Influence of mechanical thinning on the time to thin manually for
the Braeburn strains Schneider and Hillwell in 2009
Number of hours required for
manual thinning per hectare
Schneider
Control (manual thinning)
34
Mechanical thinning
16
Hillwell
Control (manual thinning)
35
Mechanical thinning
24
No stimulus for bud
development
Researcher Michaël Clever had some critical remarks about the thinning machine. A reduction
The Bonn thinning
machine.
Source: PCFruit-PPS
Table 2. Results of a thinning trial for Golden Delicious
15 litres/hectare
24 April
Number of fruits
per tree
78
43
60
15 litres/hectare
27 April
62
8 km/hour and 200 revs/
minute
8 km/hour and 220 revs/
minute
22 April
38
22 April
39
Thinning method
Control without manual thinning
Control with manual thinning
ATS - two-year branches in full bloom
ATS - three days after two-year branches being in
full bloom
Tree Darwin - 3 of 5 flowers opened
Tree Darwin - 3 of 5 flowers opened
Date
Source: DLR Rheinpfalz
19
Martin Kockerols, Simon Egger, Philippe Monney, Brion Duffy
Agroscope Changins-Wädenswil Research Station (ACW)
Results with fire blight-tolerant
apple rootstocks
In 2007 and 2008, two years with a high
fire blight pressure in central and eastern Switzerland, it turned out that not
only many scion varieties in Swiss apple
orchards were extremely susceptible to
fire blight but also the standard rootstock M9. Fire blight-tolerant rootstocks
such as B9, G.11 and G.41 which have
been tested at the ACW Research Station
proved to be possible alternatives.
In autumn 2002, five fire blight-tolerant Cornell
Geneva rootstocks (typically referred to as CG. or
G. + number), as well as Budogovski9 (B9) and further agronomically interesting rootstocks were
planted with the Gala and Topaz varieties at the
Agroscope Changins-Wädenswil Research Station
(ACW) at the site of Wädenswil (near Zürich). The
target was to find fire blight-tolerant rootstocks
with roughly the same vigour as M9, good productivity, satisfactory propagation properties in
rootstock nurseries and a broad suitability for
cultivation in different locations.
Vigour, root suckers and
grafting union
The rootstocks G.16, G.202 and G.7 induced the
strongest growth with the Gala variety, represented in the picture as the cross-section area in cm².
Slightly weaker growth was shown by G.11 and
G.41. The growth of the B9 corresponded roughly
to the M9T337. The rootstocks B9, M9T337, G.16
and G.202 formed little to a few root suckers.
There were hardly any root suckers noted in G.7,
G.41 and G.11. For fire blight infections, routes of
entry such as burr knots, cracks in the bark as well
as root suckers play quite a significant role. All
the tested CG rootstocks, as well as B9 had very
Gala on M9-T337
20
Photo: ACW
clean grafting unions and have been positively
assessed in this regard.
Yield
Accumulated yield of Gala apples per tree for the
individual rootstocks from 2004 to 2008 varied
extremely between more vigorous rootstocks
with a high total yield and less vigorous rootstocks with a weaker total yield. The G.11 with
roughly 65kg per tree achieved considerably
more than the M9T337 and B9 with about 45 kg
per tree. With respect to the relative yield however, which is the yield in relation to tree volume
(represented by the cross-section area), a very
different picture is presented (fig. 2). The highest
relative yields were produced on the rootstocks
P16 and P59. G.11 produced slightly better than
M9T337, B9 and G.41. The vigorous rootstocks
G.16, P60 and G.202 showed the lowest relative
yealds. With regard to average fruit weight and
share of 1st class fruits, in 2007 and 2008 there
were no significant differences registered between the M9T337 and the fire blight-tolerant
rootstocks.
Info
Fire blight tolerance
Susceptibility of rootstocks (non-grafted) to fire
blight was tested by artificial infection in a quarantine greenhouse at the ACW Research Station
B.9
Photo: ACW
Fig. 1: Rootstock vigour (cross-section area 2008, in cm²).
cm2 25
20
15
Propagation
Propagation of rootstock B9 in the stool
bed is satisfactory
(similar to the M9
standard). Some of
the CG rootstocks
showing a worse
propagation ability
might - depending
on the individual rootstock - not be able to
establish themselves
in practice. G.41 is not
easy to propagate in
stoolbed and shows
thorny liners, whereas
G.11 can be propagated much better but
is so far only being
propagated in small
numbers in France
and Holland.
10
5
9
P5
6
P1
B9
7
33
9T
M
Su
p
po
rte
r4
G.
11
G.
41
G.
7
2
G.
20
G.
16
0
Fig. 2: Relative yield as yield from 2004 to 2008 per cm² trunk cross-section area 2008, in kg/cm².
G.
20
2
P6
0
G.
16
Su
p
po
rte
r4
G.
7
G.
41
B9
7
33
9T
M
G.
11
8
M
P1
6
7
6
5
4
3
2
1
0
P5
9
kg/cm2
21
in 2006. M9T337 showed an average lesion length
of about 65% of the shoots, while the CG rootstocks were only visibly infested by not more than
5 to 10% of the shoots in average. Rootstocks B9
and P16 were not included in this test. According
to information from foreign sources, they showed
susceptibility to fire blight in artificial infection
tests. Though, fire blight field tests in the USA
with the Gala and McIntosh varieties indicated
that besides the CG rootstocks G.16, G.41, G.11,
also the B9 shows field-tolerance to fire blight.
In commercial orchards in the USA, these results
appeared to be confirmed; it was stated that
the the amount of rootstock blight via the scion
variety was significantly lower on B9 rootstock.
That is why B9 is recommended in the USA as a
replacement for M9 in fire blight areas.
Discussion
In comparison with other European trial results,
the CG rootstocks are more vigorous in the ACW
trials. Vigor of the weakest CG rootstocks, G.41
and G.11 in Wädenswil was comparable to the
growth of M9Pajam2, which is the most vigorous
M9 type, while in other trials the growth of the
G.41 and G.11 lay, with a few deviations, between
the M9T337 and M9 Pajam2. With regard to overall yield, the G.41 and G.11 performed better in
all the trials than the M9 standard. The relative
yield of the named rootstocks is comparable.
Growth and relative yields of the rootstocks B9
and M9T337 were at the same level. For many
years, the B9 has been upheld in Europe as an
alternative to the M9, with growth between the
M9Fleuren56 and the M9T337.
Conclusion and outlook
The rootstocks B9, G.11 and G.41 showed the best
agronomical production characteristics in the trials together with the fire blight susceptible standard M9T337. If the field tolerance observed in the
USA with regard to fire blight will be confirmed
in future tests carried out by ACW in Swiss commercial orchards, B9 would be a suitable alternative for M9. G.11 should be pursued due to its fire
blight tolerance and its interesting production
characteristics. Unfortunately, G.41 cannot be
propagated well and is therefore not very likely
to establish itself in practice. Larger numbers
of trees with the Braeburn, Gala, Milwa (Diwa®)
and La Flamboyante (Mairac®) apple varieties
on the rootstocks B9 and G.11 will be planted in
spring 2009 in commercial orchard trials in eastern Switzerland. Currently, we only recommend
these rootstocks for further experimentation on
commercial orchard level. More experience with
regard to their potential for reduction of fire
blight pressure has to be gathered.
G.11
22
Photo: ACW
Proudly Yours,
the Kanzi® people Europe
Hans Scholten
consultant in France
hansscholten@sfr.fr
Japanese plums
conquer South Europe
Info
Japanese plum
The name Japanese
plum is actually incorrect. The varieties this
name covers are in
fact hybrids of American and Chinese plum
cultivars. The first
hybrids were created
at the end of the 19th
century in California,
USA. The Chinese varieties initially used
then were imported
from Japan. Hence
the name - Japanese
plum.
Until now cultivation of plums in Europe
was virtually confined to the European
plum varieties (Prunus domestica L.). This
situation is about to change fast. In large
parts of South Europe the only trees now
being planted are the Japanese plum (Prunus triflora or Prunus salicina).
Shifting pattern
Many growers cultivate plums under hail nets.
Photos: Hans Scholten
24
North European plum growers can reflect with
satisfaction on a harvest of Victoria, Opal or
Jubileum if they were able to pick 25 tons of
plums per hectare, with an average fruit weight
of 55 grams. This would be considered a poor
harvest by South European growers. Thanks to
the introduction of the Japanese varieties, production in those regions is at a far higher level,
with fruits of 75 grams or more.
Plum growing in Europe is becoming increasingly
more professional. Through the introduction of
new rootstocks, such as VVA-1, it has become
possible to achieve larger and earlier production,
and a tree shape can be created that requires little labour. This has given plum growing a new
impulse, without introducing new varieties.
In certain parts of South Europe growers haven’t
turned to using a different rootstock to introduce
change, but have made a radical switch from
European varieties in favour of Japanese varieties. Japanese plums are very probably better
suited to the warm South European growing
regions than to the cooler northern climate. In
the past, certain countries in the north, including the Netherlands, did grow Japanese varieties under glass, but this type of cultivation has
virtually all but vanished.
A lot of progress has been made, particularly in
the United States, in the development of new
plum varieties. Today, there is a wide range of
Japanese cultivars on the market. The first Japanese varieties were planted in South Europe
some thirty years ago. At the time those were
often the large fruited varieties with only moderate taste properties, such as Friar and Black
Amber. These varieties never really gained any
great popularity, as consumers had little interest
in fine looking, but flavourless fruit. Things have
changed since then.
Thanks to progressive growers, advisors and nurserymen a shift is evident in the plum assortment
in certain growing regions in South Europe. Spain,
Italy and France are the countries experiencing
the fastest developments, but Serbia, Hungary
and Turkey are also showing interest in the Japanese varieties. In France for example, Japanese
cultivars occupy a share of 5,000 tons in the total
plum volume of 70,000 tons. The trend favours
the Japanese varieties more each year, to the
detriment of the traditional varieties.
TC Sun
One of the most widely grown Japanese varieties
is TC Sun. This variety was introduced to France
ten years ago. The extremely good properties of
this cultivar account for the huge interest shown
in this Japanese plum. TC Sun is a plum with masses of flavour, a yellowy orange skin and fruits that
weigh a good 75 grams (55 mm diameter).
The tree grows gradually and is highly fertile.
Some growers even plant TC Sun without a pollinator, as they would otherwise have to thin too
many fruits. If optimally pollinated, the hours devoted to thinning can reach as many as 200 per
hectare. Japanese and European plums cannot
pollinate each other. In Spain TC Sun starts to
flower in early February and in South West France
in early March.
Big yielders
At planting distances of 4.00 x 1.50 or 4.00 x 1.25
metres (2,000 trees per hectare) TC Sun trees
are easy to manage. Production of 20 kilos per
tree in the third year of growth and 30 kilos per
tree from the fourth year of growth are possible.
This translates to 60 tons per hectare, of which
about 50 to 55 tons is marketable. The fruits
ts in
the remaining
ing 5 to 10 tons are either too small
or too large,
ge, or damaged. This high production
does have a negative impact on the
any growers stick
flavour. Many
to a yield off 45 tons per
hectare, off which
nearly everything
ything
can be sold..
TC Sun is not
susceptible to
biennial bearring. The fruits
ts
h
are juicy with
TC Sun is a variety with large fruits.
firm, yellow flesh, and have a sugar content of
more than 16°Brix. They look fabulous and have
a shelf life superior to most European plums. The
fruits can be stored for six weeks in ordinary cold
storage and for eight weeks if ethylene scrubbing
is used. In the South of France the picking dates
are around the end of August, early September.
In Spain, this is two weeks earlier. The optimal
picking time must be observed; otherwise the
quality will irrevocably deteriorate. Fruit drop is
not a problem with TC Sun however: even if the
plums are ripe, they stay on the tree.
Good prices
The prices achieved by growers in the South of
France for TC Sun are between–depending on
the year and the quality – € 0.75 and € 1.50 per
kilo. These are the net payout prices. Linked to the
high yields this results in extremely good operating results. On many farms TC Sun is grown under
hail nets, and if possible, sufficient night frost
protection is installed. Considering the
excellent yields it’s worthwhile investing in measures to protect
the harvest. A growers’ association
Ruby Crunch
sh.
has red flesh.
25
Diseases
The diseases and
pests that attack
Japanese plums are
roughly the same as
those European plums
have to cope with.
Cydia moths demand
a concerted approach,
also because the
disease pressure of
this moth is higher in
South Europe than
in the North regions.
ESFY, the European
stone fruit yellows
phytoplasma also
plays a significant
role. This phytoplasm
is very probably
transmitted by
the psyllid vector
Cacopsylla pruni. This
problem does not
occur in Spain, as the
climate is too warm
for this insect. Trees
affected with EFSY
die.
alone this amounts to 3,000 tons. That is more
than half the country’s total production from
Japanese plum varieties.
The time seems to be ripe to look for suitable,
new Japanese plum varieties. Not only to prevent market overkill with TC Sun, but also to
help achieve more spread in the harvest period
and to attract new consumer interest for a (blue
skinned) variety with a different taste and appearance.
Promising newcomers
The leaves of tees affected by ESFY become increasingly chlorotic and the trees usually die within a year.
was founded recently to market TC Sun under
the name Estiva.
There is an abundance of new Japanese plum varieties. The question is, however, which of these
new varieties is good enough to develop into
the main variety.
Ruby Crunch, also known as Florence (picking
date mid August), is a promising cultivar, but
on the downside it is a very strong grower. Research is required to see if Ruby Crunch grafted
onto a weak rootstock, for example VVA-1, shows
weaker growth and can be brought into production earlier.
Catalina and Sapphire, which both ripen at the
end of July, are dark, almost black skinned.70%
of Catalina fruits have a diameter of 50 to 60 mm.
These varieties are starting to be planted here
and there.
Some of the many new Japanese cultivars being
trialled are Sun Kiss, Ruby Red and Early Queen.
Of these a number will most likely be introduced
as a club variety. Expectations are high in the
short term.
New varieties needed
In recent years many growers in the South of
France have planted TC Sun. This variety is also
cultivated in the southern hemisphere, so it is
available during several periods of the year. South
Africa and Chile are major producers. Spain is busy
catching up. The production volume is expanding fast.
In France
Jubileum
Jubi
Ju
bil
bi
ile
leum ((b
leum
(blue),
blue),
Ruby Crunch (red)
and TC Sun
(yellow/orange)
26
Gerard Poldervaart
gerard.poldervaart@fruitmagazine.eu
Pear growers in Emilia Romagna
plant cherry trees
The region around Vignola is known
as ‘Italy’s cherry region’. However, in
recent years, increasingly more cherry
trees are being planted in areas where
pears were traditionally grown. Due to
the declining prices for pears and to the
problems related to fire blight and pear
decline, pear growers started to look for
other crops. Some of them moved over
to cherry growing.
In Italy, cherries are grown on approximately
30,000 hectares. The region around Vignola – approximately 25 km to the southeast of Modena
in the province of Emilia Romagna – is the best
known but certainly not the largest cherry region
in Italy. Puglia, in the far south of the country, has
about 16,000 hectares of cherry, while in Emilia
Romagna this is ‘only’ 2,000 hectares. It appears
that the hectarage will increase in the coming
years. From other regions in Emilia Romagna,
there is an increasing interest in cherry growing,
in particular from pear growers near Ferrara.
Abate Fetel, the main pear variety grown in Italy,
is currently facing major problems: pear decline
is the cause of poor growth and the loss of trees.
Moreover, it has become less financially interesting to grow pears in recent years. Stefano
Musacchi, researcher and assistant professor at
the University of Bologna: “To be able to earn a
living from growing pears nowadays, a grower
must have around 20 hectares of pear. For cherry,
a couple of hectares is sufficient.”
A seven-year Grace Star planted on a Colt rootstock at a planting spacing of 5.0 x 5.0 metres. In Italian, the
shape of the trees, planted at an angle of 45º, is called Bandiera. This tree shape can best be compared to the
French Drapeau Marchand.
Photos: AllroundFruit
Symposium
On the initiative of
Stefano Musacchi
from the University of
Bologna, on 5 June a
symposium was held
concerning intensification in cherry growing. This was held in
the Ferrara congress
centre. More than four
hundred Italian cherry
growers heard the
introductions to the
subject and visited
two farms that grow
cherries intensively.
27
the past, Celeste was also planted, but due to
its susceptibility to cracking and Monilia this is
no longer the case. In addition, due to the high
chance of cracking, Sweetheart is no longer in
the picture. Grace Star, a new variety from the
Stefano Lugli breeding programme at the University of Bologna, is an interesting new variety that
is increasingly being planted. Grace Star ripens
at approximately the same time as Samba and
three to four days before Giorgia.
High production levels
and good prices
Fruit grower Nino Quartieri (left) and Stefano Lugli from the University of Bologna proudly
show the good production levels of the 7-year old Grace Star trees.
Productive varieties
The region around
Vignola is known for
its cherries.
Dwarfing rootstocks such as Gisela 3, 5 and 6
are still rarely used. Approximately 90% of the
new cherry orchards are planted on Colt or Maxma 60. Maybe this also explains why fertile and
highly productive varieties are mainly planted
and that varieties that are less productive on a
more vigorous rootstock are hardly ever grown.
This is because a fertile variety such as Lapins will
do better on a Colt rootstock than, for instance,
Kordia or Regina. The French Maxma 14 is not
used, because when grown on this rootstock,
the fruit remains smaller than when grown on
other rootstocks. For very fertile soil, Gisela 6 is
chosen. Gisela 5 is actually only being used at
several trial sites.
In Vignola, Lapins is the main variety, followed
by Ferrovia (Schneiders), Giorgia and Burlat. In
Many cherry orchards are protected by hail nets
from the heavy hail that regularly sweeps the region. In a number of cases, the growers choose
to use film instead of nets to prevent cracking
after rain.
Trees grown on vigorous rootstocks take a couple
of years to become fully productive, but when
they are about 6 to 7 years old, production levels of 20 tonnes per hectare, with peaks of 25 to
30 tonnes are achieved, with a good fruit size.
When Italian cherry growers talk about ‘a good
size’, they mean a fruit diameter of 28 mm and
greater. They get high prices for these cherries.
At the beginning of June, the cherries larger than
28 mm sold for € 4.80 per kilo when supplied to
the cooperative. For cherries with a diameter
greater than 32 mm this was € 5.60. At the time,
the greengrocers in Ferrara, were selling the
cherries from Vignola for € 8 to € 10 per kilo.
The greengrocers in Ferrara will sell the cherries for € 8 to € 10 per kilo.
28
Gerard Poldervaart
gerard.poldervaart@fruitmagazine.eu
Stress plays a major role in Stemphylium attacks.
Photos: EFM
Stressed trees suffer
more brown spot
Brown spot (Stemphylium vesicarium) is
a disease which has been widespread in
Italy for many years and causes problems
during the pear harvest every year. Since
2000 there have been various examples of
attacks of this fungus of varying severity
in the Netherlands and Belgium. Recent
research by the Belgian research station
PCFruit has shown that there are different
strains of the brown spot fungus and that
environmental factors have an impact on
pear trees’ susceptibility to brown spot.
Brown spot attacks can differ greatly in severity
from one year to the next, from one orchard to
the next, or even within the same orchard. Researchers at the PCFruit Pome and Stone Fruit
research station in Sint-Truiden, Belgium, have
set out to pinpoint the causes of the apparently
inexplicable differences in the attacks.
Sap flow
A survey conducted by PCFruit among pear growers has revealed that brown spot is much more
common on soils with poor natural drainage and
on wet plots. Researchers also noticed that attacks
of brown spot sometimes differ greatly within one
plot. The sap flow in the trunks of pear trees was
measured on well-drained and poorly drained
parts of a plot. It was observed that when the plot
was waterlogged, after rain for example, the sap
flow of trees in poorly drained parts slows down
much earlier and for much longer than in trees
on well-drained parts of the plot. Trees whose
leaves turn yellow early in the autumn are more
susceptible to Stemphylium, the observations in
Belgium revealed. It was also observed that brown
spots mainly appear on the sun side of the fruit.
Exposure to UV light also makes the fruit more
susceptible to brown spot.
Stress
With apple scab (Venturia inaequalis), for example,
it is mainly factors such as temperature, humidity and the presence of spores that determine
whether an infection will occur. These and other
observations lead to the conclusion not only that
brown spot infection is contingent on the presence of spores and infection conditions, but also
that the susceptibility of the fruit plays a major
role. Stress caused by poor growth or exposure to
ozone or UV light makes the fruit more susceptible
to brown spot, the researchers concluded.
Two groups of Stemphylium
The researchers also discovered that there are two
groups of populations of the Stemphylium vesicarium fungus in Belgium. The first group is closely
linked to the strains that cause brown spot in Italy.
The second group is closely related to Alternaria
and, researcher Piet Creemers believes, possibly
a hybrid of Stemphylium and Alternaria.
The brown spot fungus has been widespread in Italy since 1975 and in Spain since 1988. The disease
only arrived in the Netherlands and Belgium later
on, between 1997 and 2001. A possible explanation for this could be climate change. The increase
in temperature is giving rise to pathogens that
were previously only found in hot, southern European growing areas. Brown spot could well have
another cause, however. According to the latest
findings, climate change could have caused the
brown spot fungus to mutate from a saprophytic
fungus which lives on dead matter to a parasitic
fungus which can also affect living tissue.
Either way, there is still a great deal to learn about
brown spot, although the research carried out
in recent years has considerably expanded our
knowledge of this fungus.
Info
Temperature
2ºC higher
Temperature measurements at PCFruit
reveal that the average annual temperature rose by 2ºC between 1950 and 2008.
The average temperature today is 11ºC
compared with 9ºC
in 1950. The change
in temperature is
thought to be partly
responsible for the
spread of brown spot
in the Netherlands
and Belgium.
Interpera
At the Interpera
Conference at SintTruiden, Belgium, at
the end of May, researcher Piet Creemers delivered an address on the various
diseases and infestations threatening pear
cultivation. He also
presented the latest
findings of research
into brown spot in
Belgium.
29
Dr. Gottfried Lafer
gottfried.lafer@stmk.gv.at
Practical experience with
new storage technologies in Austria –
Dynamic CA (DCA) storage and SmartFreshTM
Info
DCA or DCS
Dynamic Controlled
Atmosphere (DCA)
and Dynamic Control
System (DCS) are both
systems that reduce
the oxygen content in
the store atmosphere
to just above the level
at which alcohol is
formed. When DCS
technology is used,
during the first weeks
of being stored various apple samples are
checked for the first
signs of alcohol formation. If this is not
found, the oxygen in
the air in the store can
be carefully lowered.
When signs of alcohol
are found, the oxygen
level is raised, to eventually reach a stable
level, just above the alcohol formation level.
Following the introduction of Controlled Atmosphere (CA) storage in the nineteen fifties, the introduction of DCA storage and the acceptance of
1-methylcyclopropene (1-MCP) represented a new
giant step in the storage of fruit. By dynamically
adapting the storage conditions to the physiological status and the activities of the apples, a further
improvement in fruit quality can be achieved without supplementary post-harvest treatments.
The active ingredient 1-MCP (registered under the
trade name ´SmartFresh´) effectively prevents the
formation of ethylene, which in turn delays the
ripening and aging of the fruit.
The use of SmartFresh is extremely interesting in
particular due to the improvement in internal fruit
quality after storage (shelf life) and in the prevention of physiological storage problems.
What is DCA storage?
When Dynamic Controlled Atmosphere (DCA)
storage is used, the oxygen level in the cold store
is lowered in steps down to near the lowest level
tolerated by the fruit, the so-called anaerobic compensation point. During storage, the atmosphere
is continually adjusted to the physiological condi-
Figure 1: When DCA is used, the fluorescence of the
chlorophyll in the skin of the fruit is measured by a
FIRMTM Sensor that monitors a sample of six apples.
(Photos: Gottfried Lafer)
tion of the fruit. This critical oxygen level is not a
fixed value, but varies, dependent on variety, ripeness and length of time the fruit has been stored,
from between 0.3 and 0.6% O2. By measuring the
Chlorophyll fluorescence, this critical oxygen con-
Figure 2: Graph showing the fluorescence signal during the entire storage period (end of October 2007 to mid
March 2008)
30
DCA Storage trial Braeburn - Internal browning 2007/08
6
12
CA 2
CA 1
6
DCA 2
6
52
2
40
6
24
30
DCA 1
0
20
10
30
core browning
40
50
cavities
60
70 [%]
flesh browning
Figure 4: The influence of various storage techniques and harvesting times on the occurrence of internal browning in Braeburn
DCA Storagetrial Braeburn 2006/07 - firmness
10
9,5
9,0
9
8,5
kg/cm2
centration can be determined very rapidly (in real
time and online) and very accurately.
The method is based on measuring the fluorescence of the chlorophyll in the skin of the fruit by
using a FIRMTM Sensor (Fluorescence Interactive
Response Monitor) to monitor a sample of six
apples (Figure 1). If light of a certain wavelength
comes in contact with the chlorophyll of the apple, the chlorophyll returns the light at a different wavelength (fluorescence). Below a certain
oxygen level that is specific for the fruit, there is
a clear rise in the fluorescence signal. Using this
information, it is possible to dynamically adjust
the atmosphere in the store to the ripeness, the
annual differences and the differences in origin of
the apples to be stored. The oxygen concentration in the atmosphere is reduced to just above
the safe level.
DCA storage has been successfully introduced
in the North Italian fruit region of South Tyrol, by
Dr Angelo Zanella from the Laimburg research
station. After several years of scientific research,
followed by four years of large-scale practical
trials at several cooperatives, DCA storage was
used during the 2006/2007 storage season in a
total of 81 stores and during the 2007/2008 season in 120 stores.
DCA storage has proved its value in South Tyrol, in
particular for varieties that are susceptible to scald
8
8,9
8,7
8,9
8,6
8,6
8,3
8,2
8,4
7,8
7,5
7,3
7
6,5
6
15.02.2007
26.06.2007
06.07.2007
date of analysis
Figure 5: Graph showing the firmness of Braeburn apples kept differently during the
2006/2007 storage season
Figure 3: Due to its susceptibility to internal
browning, Braeburn is difficult to keep under ULO
conditions.
(including Granny Smith, Red Delicious, etc.).
The shelf life after DCA storage is also clearly better, in particular with respect to the internal quality (firmness and titratable acid) of the fruit and
fruit rot. DCA technology can be very interesting
for organic farmers for the storage of Topaz as it
offers an alternative to the chemical post-harvest
treatment that they cannot use.
DCA storage trials for Braeburn
and Topaz in Austria
The positive experiences with DCA technology in
South Tyrol have resulted in many research stations
in Europe including the use of DCA technology in
their research programmes. Since 2006, the Haidegg research station (Steiermark, Austria) has also
been working on DCA storage, and has purchased
six fluorescence sensors for this purpose. In the
2006/2007 season, the research concentrated on
Braeburn, which, as is commonly known, is very
difficult to store in normal ULO stores due to its
susceptibility to internal browning (core and flesh
browning, cavities) (Figure 3). In the 2007/2008
season, the apple variety Topaz and the pear variety Uta, both grown by the organic sector, were
included in the research programme. In addition,
practical experience could be gained from a large
practical trial of DCA storage at a fruit trading
company.
In summary, the most important results of the
DCA Braeburn trials
• Reduction of core and flesh browning by approximately 30 to 50%, depending on the moment of harvesting (Figure 4)
• If the DCA conditions are incorrectly controlled
alcohol damage can occur
• SmartFresh exacerbates internal browning,
also in combination with DCA
Info
DCA
DCA has the same objective as DCS storage,
which is to keep the
oxygen level in the atmosphere in the store
to just above the alcohol formation level.
DCA uses a number of
sample apples and a
sensor to continually
monitor the chlorophyll fluorescence (see
text in article). Chlorophyll fluorescence is
related to the alcohol
content in the fruit.
31
• Better internal quality through to the end of the
storage period.
• No influence on the sugar content (°Brix)
• Limited influence on acidity
• Increased firmness of the fruit, also during the
shelf life (Figure 5)
• Significant better assessment of the flavour
in the DCA and MCP objects
In addition to Braeburn, DCA storage trials have
also been carried out on Topaz – the main variety
grown organically in Austria. Due to its susceptibility to Gloeosporium fruit rot, organically grown
Topaz is problematic in long-term storage. Moreover, flesh browning increases with the storage
time. The objective of the trials was to reduce the
occurrence of Gloeosporium and flesh browning
Figure 7a: Topaz after ULO storage
Storage trial Topaz 2007/08
31,1
DCA
10,0
0
1,0
3,2
72,3
28,0
20
40
60
80
100
storage losses in %
core browning
flesh browning
Figure 6: Results of storage trials for Topaz 2007/08
32
cavities
Experiences with SmartFresh in
Austria
SmartFresh has been successfully used in Austria
since 2004, in particular for the apple varieties
Elstar, Gala, Golden Delicious and Jonagold. A
Figure 7b: Topaz after DCA storage
and so to improve the storage quality of Topaz.
The first trials gave the following results:
• Reduction of core and flesh browning by approximately 70% (Figure 6)
• Reduction of storage loss due to Gloeosporium
by approximately 20% (Figure 7 a+b)
• Better internal quality during storage
• Improved firmness of the fruit, also during the
shelf life
• There is no influence on sugar content
• Minor effect on acidity
The first trials with DCA storage of Braeburn and
organically grown Topaz were very promising,
CA
both in small containers in the Haidegg research
station and in large stores at cooparatives. For
this reason, the owners of cold stores are showing
great interest in this new storage technology. It is
expected that the number of stores where DCA
storage is used will increase considerably. More
so because for Braeburn, due to the influence on
internal browning, and for Topaz, due to the legal
situation, it is not possible to use SmartFresh to
improve storage and fruit quality.
120
clear increase in the treated volumes can be seen.
In 2007, SmartFresh was used for approximately
25% of the apples stored in Austria.
Influence on fruit quality
In all of the trials and in practice the use of SmartFresh resulted in a significant improvement in
the firmness of the apples. This positive effect is
already noticeable immediately following storage, but the effect is greatest after the fruit has
been on the shelf for 8 days at 20°C (Figure 8).
SmartFresh improved the firmness by on average
15-20%, with a clear relationship being seen between variety, ripeness and storage duration. In
addition to the influence on firmness, SmartFresh
also slowed down the reduction in acid content.
Apples treated with SmartFresh had a titratable
acid content that was 10-15% higher than that
found in untreated apples. Furthermore, SmartFresh clearly slowed down the transition of the
background colour from green to yellow. However, the sugar content did not improve when
SmartFresh was used.
In the majority of cases, all of these positive influences also led to a higher valuation in the flavour
tests (Table 1). Exceptions to this were Fuji (no
Storage trial Golden Del. Reinders - firmness
significant difference when compared to untreated) and Golden Delicious that had been picked
too early, which due to the lack of aroma were
clearly rated lower in the flavour test than the
untreated fruits.
While most varieties including Gala, Elstar, Jonagold and Golden Delicious clearly reacted well
to SmartFresh, the treatment was not a success
for Braeburn, in particular, due to its promotion
of flesh and core browning. Extremely positive
effects are also seen against scald. For instance,
in Granny Smith, a variety known for its extreme
susceptibility to scald, the occurrence of scald
could be completely prevented even when the
fruit was stored until June. Due to the delay in
aging of the fruits after SmartFresh treatment,
they retain their natural resistance to the fungi
that cause fruit rot for longer. Therefore, by using
SmartFresh it is possible to reduce the occurrence
of Gloeosporium and other types of fruit rot, in
particular in sensitive varieties including Elstar,
Rubens and Topaz (unfortunately SmartFresh is
not allowed for organically grown produce).
A negative aspect of SmartFresh is the slight promotion of skin spots in sensitive batches of Elstar.
After extended storage to July-August, skin damage could sometimes also be found in Golden Delicious. Based on the experience gained in recent
years, Golden Delicious treated with SmartFresh
seems to be more sensitive to high concentrations of CO2. This is particularly the case when the
stores are filled very rapidly (within 1-3 days), the
as yet not completely cooled fruits are treated with
SmartFresh and the store is immediately brought
to ULO conditions. After extended storage up to
July-August, skin damage was visible 4-5 days after opening the cell. Gradual cooling and bringing
the store down to ULO conditions slower has led
to less damage in trials and in practice.
Summary
The introduction of the new storage technologies can reliably improve storage and fruit quality when compared to the normal CA and ULO
storage.
However, both approaches place higher demands
on the fruit growers and cold store managers, in
particular due to the necessity to accurately determine the optimum harvesting moment, the
homogeneity of the stored batches and the rapid
filling of the cold stores.
In addition, DCA storage is associated with considerably higher costs due to the installation of
higher-capacity scrubbers, the supplementary
supply of nitrogen and the careful monitoring
and control of the storage conditions.
8,0
7,5
7,0
7,2
6,8
6,5
6,5
kg/cm2
Influence on physiological
damage and storage disorders
8,5
6,3
6,1
6,0
5,5
6,2
6,2
5,8
5,5
5,7
5,0
CA 23.09.2003
CA 07.10.03
MCP 23.09.2003
MCP 07.10.03
4,5
4,0
3,5
Einlagerung
4,9
4,6
4,5
4,5
38057
38155
38169
date of analysis
Figure 8: Influence of SmartFresh on the firmness of Golden Delicious.
Table 1: Flavour assessment of various apple varieties with and without SmartFresh (storage
duration depending on variety 240 − 270 Days, ULO).
Variety
Harvesting
moment
Elstar
Gala
Rubens
Golden Klon B
Golden Reinders
Fuji Kiku 8
26.08.2002
26.08.2002
10.09.2002
12.09.2002
12.09.2002
16.10.2002
Flavour (1 – 10)
Without 1-MCP
With 1-MCP
6.1 a
6.1 a
2.2 a
3.9 b
2.6 a
4.6 b
4.8 b
1.7 a
2.5 a
5.1 b
4.6 a
4.4 a
Numbers followed by the same letter do not differ significantly from each other. The significance
calculations were only performed within the variety (assessment 1=very poor, 10 = very good)
At approximately two euro cents per kilogram,
the costs of SmartFresh treatment are not cheap.
In spite of these higher costs, both technologies
have already been widely used, because the costs
are clearly outweighed by the advantages in storage and fruit quality.
Author:
Dr. Gottfried Lafer
Versuchsstation für Obstund Weinbau Haidegg
A-8047 Graz
E-Mail:
gottfried.lafer@stmk.gv.at
Literature
Streif J., McCormick R., Neuwald D., 2008. Haltbarkeit und Fruchtqualität durch Fortschritte in
der Lagertechnik verbessern: ULO pur, DCA oder
MCP. Teil 1: Besseres Obst 8, 9 − 11. Teil 2: Besseres
Obst 9, 10 − 12.
Lafer G., 2008. Die Fruchtqualität erhalten durch dynamische CA-Lagerung. Besseres Obst 9, 17 − 20.
Gasser F., Höhn E., 2007. Dynamische CA-Lagerung
− Versuchsresultate und Vergleich mit MCP. Vortrag
im Rahmen des Interreg IIIA Projektes in Ravensburg am 16.08.2007.
Zanella, A., Cazanelli, P., Panarese, A., Coser, M.,
Cecchinel, M. and Rossi, O. 2005. Fruit fluorescence response to low oxygen stress: Modern storage
technologies compared to 1-MCP treatment of apple. Acta Hort. 682: 1535−1542.
Zanella A., 2004. Dynamische CA-Lagerung und
Anwendung von 1-MCP. Besseres Obst 9, 11 − 13
33
Gerard Poldervaart
gerard.poldervaart@fruitmagazine.eu
Automatic bagging
machine saves labour
The English supermarkets sell lots of apples in bags of 1 or 1.5 kilos. The large
packing stations use fully automatic
bagging machines to count and weigh
the apples. However, such machines are
mostly too expensive for smaller packing stations. During the National Fruit
Show, a fruit exhibition in Kent, UK, various suppliers presented bagging machines that can be of interest to smaller
packing stations.
The large packing stations use fully automatic
machines to bag the apples. These machines
count and weigh the fruit and can be adjusted
to ensure that almost exactly the same weight
of fruit ends up in each bag. The machine also
closes the bags and attaches a label. Hardly any
human intervention is required. Due to the price,
approximately €200,000 each, these machines
are often unprofitable for the smaller packing
stations. Suppliers of grading and packing equipment saw that the smaller packing stations needed smaller bagging machines. Maf Roda, Greefa
Using the Greefa machine, one person can fill seven to
eight bags per minute.
and Burg’s Machinefabriek presented such machines at the show.
Blow the bag open
All three bagging machines do not weigh the
apples, but count the number of apples using a
photocell. The desired number of fruits per bag
can be set in advance. To ensure as little weight
loss as possible, the apples must therefore be
very accurately graded.
With the Greefa and Maf Roda machines, a jet
of air blows the new bag open, after which two
steel brackets keep it open. The full bags must
be manually removed from the machine, closed
and labelled. The apples roll into the bags, which
could cause some bruising. Both machines can
be connected to the output of the existing grading lines.
Careful placement
The bagging machine from Burg’s Machinefabriek does not roll, but as it were ‘places’ the apples into the bags. Another difference is that the
machine also closes the bags, labels them and
deposits the full bags in a bin or box. Obviously,
the Burg machine requires fewer personnel than
the Greefa and Maf Roda machines, which is also
reflected in the price.
Costs
The Burg’s Machinefabriek machine closes and labels the bags.
Photos: EFM
34
The Burg machine costs around €55,000 excluding vat. Greefa’s machine around €7,000. The Maf
Roda sales rep declined to give a price.
Using the Greefa machine, one person can fill
seven to eight bags per minute, explained the
company representative. A person filling the
bags by hand would fill approximately three
bags per minute. The fully automatic machines
used in large packing stations fill twenty bags
per minute.
WHEN QUALITY IS IMPORTANT...
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almakuti@t-online.hu
Production and market developments
NETHERLANDS:
FEWER NEW VARIETIES
Table: Hectarage and hectarage development of new varieties in the
Netherlands
Dutch fruit growers planted fewer new varieties in 2008
than in the previous year. This is shown by the figures
published several weeks ago by the Dutch Central Statistical Office. In the 2007/2008 winter, 224 hectares of
the three new varieties Kanzi, Junami and Rubens were
planted. The year before, the figure was 345 hectares. In
total, in 2008, there were 934 hectares of Kanzi, Junami
and Rubens in the Netherlands (see Table)
POLAND:
NOT MUCH FRUIT
SOLD THROUGH
SUPERMARKETS
Relatively little fruit is currently sold in
supermarkets in Poland. Professor Eberhard Makosz estimates that around a
quarter of all apples are sold through this
channel. The supermarkets have an even
smaller segment of the market for other
fruit types like pears, cherries, strawberries and raspberries. Makosz has noted
a trend towards more fruit being sold in
supermarkets, at the expense of weekly
markets and green grocers.
Ras
Junami
Kanzi
Rubens
2004
0
8
0
2005
26
51
31
2006
101
192
72
2007
259
306
145
2008
363
381
190
Total
of which newly
planted
8
108
365
710
934
8
100
257
345
224
Source: CBS
NEW ZEALAND:
STRONG INCREASE IN
JAZZ ACREAGE
Jazz is getting close to becoming the
main variety grown in New Zealand after
Breaburn and Gala. The acreage planted
with Jazz rapidly rose to 577 hectares in
2007. The target acreage is 1100 hectares,
in other words, 12% of the total New Zealand apple acreage. At the moment, Jazz
is the fourth apple variety, with slightly
less acreage than Fuji, but more than
Pacific Rose and Cripp’s Pink.
Jazz is popular with New Zealand growers due to the high prices it attracts. For
the fruit harvested in 2007, the growers
received a net price of 0.66 dollars per
kilo. This compared favourably to the
prices received for Braeburn and Gala,
which were respectively 0.19 and 0.25
dollars. The high price makes growing
Jazz attractive, despite the lower level
of production and smaller fruit size. The
production level in New Zealand is 30 to
35% lower than for Braeburn and 20%
lower than for Gala. The fruit is smaller
than or in the most favourable case the
same size as Gala. Even in the warm New
Zealand climate, many fruits are less than
70 mm. Jazz is harvested 7 to 10 days
before Braeburn.
GERMANY:
RED JONAPRINCE POPULAR IN NORTH GERMANY
In the North German fruit region das Altes
Land, the Jonagold strain Red Jonaprince
is very popular, reports consultant Wouter
van Teeffelen of WTE-Fruitadvies in his electronic newsletter. According to a spokesperson of the sales organisation Elbe-Obst, this
planting season, growers are planting lots
of Jonagold and more than 90 percent of
these are the dark strain Red Jonaprince.
For the grower, Red Jonaprince combines
the advantages of a high percentage of
top quality fruit with an easy harvest. The
situation for Braeburn is comparable. In
comparison to the Netherlands and Belgium, Braeburn is planted a lot and a large
proportion of the planted trees are the dark
strain Maririred.
Red Jonaprince is frequently planted in Das Alte Land.
36
Photo: EFM
Growers tell growers
21 BEE HIVES ON TWO HECTARES
Roland Schmitz-Hübsch from Bornheim-Merten has two
hectares of cherry trees that are now in their fourth leaf. The
orchard contains 13 varieties varying in ripening time from
early (Earlise) to late (Sweetheart). The orchard is laid out in
such a way that there is a maximum of two rows next to each
other of every variety, and every variety borders two different
pollination varieties. The Gisela 5 rootstock is used for dwarfing varieties such as Earlise, Samba, Skeena and Sweetheart.
The more vigorous varieties such as Burlat, Bellise, Kordia and
Regina grow on Gisela 3 rootstock. On the very good soil (100
soil points*) around the village of Merten, even the trees on
Gisela 3 still grow too vigorously. Therefore, in March this year,
Schmitz-Hübsch pruned the roots of all of the trees with an
inclined knife. What struck the grower was that the trees on
Gisela 5 had much thicker roots at the location where the
knife passed than those on Gisela 3, where only thin roots
were found. “The trees on Gisela 5 shook as the knife passed.
When passing trees on Gisela 3 nothing was seen or felt.”
ROOT PRUNING IN THE SECOND YEAR
Brothers Wimco and Maurits van de
Water from the company Van de Water
Fruit bv from the villages of Beesd and
Rhenoy, near Geldermalsen (NL) bought
an 10 hectare plot of land in 2007 and
planted it completely with Sweet Sensation in 2008.
The well-branched one year old trees
were cultivated in Italy and are spaced
at a distance of 300 x 0.50 cm at the van
de Water Fruit company. The trees are
planted on ridges and are provided with
fertigation. The first year of growth has
mainly seen growth in the top of the
trees. Each tree now has 5 to 10 one year
old side shoots. Van de Water plans to
leave these shoots as much as possible
and let them produce buds.
Early in March, the trees were root
pruned on one side using an angled
knife. “Because we planted wellbranched trees at 50 cm, they don’t
need to grow much more. We hope
the root pruning will lead to the trees
both producing buds and growing a
little more,” Maurits van de Water explains their decision to root prune the
trees already in their second year of
growth.
The van de Water brothers’ trees were cut on one side using an angled
knife in early March.
Photos: EFM
37
News of the world
SOUTH TYROL:
HIGH PRICES IN 2007
Fruit growers in South Tyrol in Northern
Italy received on average 47.8 cents per
kilo from the cooperative for the 2007
crop of apples. This is reported by the
Raiffaisenverband South Tyrol. The price
paid was 26% higher than the price the
growers received for the 2006 crop. This
is the net price, the costs for storage,
grading and sales do not need to be
deducted anymore. The price has been
calculated for all of the apples supplied
to the cooperative, therefore including
the Class 2 apples. Cripp’s Pink (Pink
Lady) attracted by far the best prices.
The difference between this variety and
Golden Delicious and Fuji was more
than 20 cents per kilo.
The apple hectarage and the production volumes in South Tyrol are still increasing, while in various other growing regions in Europe, the hectarage is
reducing.
In 2007, more than 900,000 tonnes of
fruit were sold through the cooperatives. This is 6.6% more than in the previous year.
GERMANY:
FEWER AND LARGER
FARMS
The number of fruit farms in the main
fruit growing region of Germany, das
Alte Land in the north, has halved in
fifteen years. According to the five-yearly inventory of the hectarage, in 1992
there were 1500 fruit farms in das Alte
Land. In 2007, only 769 remained. The
area covered by fruit in the same period declined by ‘just’ 734 hectares. In
2007, the fruit region had in total 9,491
hectares of apple, pear, cherry, plum
and damson. As in various other fruit
growing regions, the fruit farms remaining in das Alte Land are becoming ever
larger. In 1997, the average size of a fruit
farm was 8.15 hectares. Ten years later,
this had grown to 12.15 hectares per
farm. Apple is by far the most important
fruit crop, accounting for 88.1% of the
hectarage, followed by sweet cherry
at 5.7%. Few pears are grown, they account for just 3.4% of the hectarage.
Plums and damsons account for 2.6%
and sour cherries 0.2%.
The most important apple varieties are
Jonagold and its strains that account for
32.6% of the hectarage, followed by Elstar at 29.5%. It is striking that Braeburn
has developed into a variety with a 5%
share of the total apple hectarage.
GERMANY:
WORKFORCE NUMBERS
In the German agricultural and horticultural sectors the number of seasonal
workers from Romania and Bulgaria is
increasing, while the number of Poles,
Croats and Slovaks is falling. According to the latest statistics from the German Federal Employment Agency, there
were about 71,000 Romanians working
in agriculture up to the end of July 2009.
This is 30% of the total foreign seasonal workforce, and 14,700 more than in
2008. At 61% of the total, Polish workers still form the largest group. In 2008
67% of foreign seasonal workers came
from Poland and 25% from Romania.
The number of workers from Bulgaria
- 2,000 - is not yet very high, but this
number is rising rapidly.
FRANCE:
NETS AGAINST INSECTS
In the south of France, numerous experiments
are underway into the total protection of orchards from insects using nets. In addition to
the existing hail nets, both apple and plum
orchards are being wrapped in insect nets at
the sides and ends. This prevents insects such
as the codling moth and the oriental fruit moth
(Cydia Molesta) from flying in. The latter moth
is also occurring more frequently in apples.
Both organic and conventional growers are
wrapping up their orchards.
When new hail nets are erected, the headland
at the end of the row is also wrapped in, so that
the net does not have to be lifted at the end
of every row when spraying or mowing. For
existing hail nets, several growers have made
a structure that allows the net to be rolled up
over the entire width of the plot.
(Hans Scholten, consultant in France; hansscholten@sfr.fr)
38
Orchard in the south of France with nets to protect apples from insects.
Photo: Hans Scholten
News of the world
GERMANY:
NEW PEAR VARIETIES
FROM GEISENHEIM
Germany is not particularly well known
as a country that grows a lot of pears.
However, over the past few years there
have been several breeding programmes
in which new pear varieties have been
bred. One of these programmes was
set up by Professor Helmut Jacob of the
Geisenheim Research Centre. Breeding
has since ceased, but the last crossings
to be carried out may well result in an
interesting new pear variety.
Professor Jacob is mainly known for his
work as a breeder of damson varieties.
A large number of new varieties has
been introduced and planted on fruit
farms over the past few years. All damson varieties starting with Top, such as
Topper, Tophit plus, Topstar plus and
Topgigant, originate from the Geisenheim breeding programme. Besides
plums, Jacob has also bred mirabelles,
sour cherries, apples, walnuts and, as
mentioned, pears.
Three of the pear varieties bred by Jacob
are currently being tested in greater
depth and evaluated for suitability. The
first selection, a cross between Williams
and Conference, has been named Jaco.
Jaco will ripen at the end of September
in central Germany, and is said to be
a good keeper and very flavoursome.
The second variety, Bronzet, is a cross
between Williams and Tongern. As the
name suggests, the fruit has a goldenbrown appearance. Bronzet ripens at
the same time as Jaco, at the end of
September, and also keeps well. The
fruits are bigger than those of Jaco, so
no thinning is needed. The third variety
is called Schöne Helene and is a cross
between Conference and Bonne Louise.
This variety ripens a month earlier than
Jaco and Bronzet.
During a visit to the Geisenheim Research Centre at the end of July, the
three varieties gave a good impression
in terms of growth, fruit size and productivity. It was obviously not possible to evaluate flavour and shelf life at
that point.
Schöne Helene is one of the varieties from Professor Jacob’s breeding programme in Geisenheim.
Photos: EFM
GERMANY:
CROSS BETWEEN PEAR AND NASHI
When fruits are crossed to develop new varieties, this is usually done within the same species. All over
the world, large numbers of breeding programmes are being undertaken within the European pear
species (Pyrus communis) or within the nashi species (Pyrus pyrifolia) to develop new varieties. But
technically it is also perfectly possible to cross the European pear with the nashi. In this way, the typical
properties of both species could be combined in one variety.
During his time as a breeder at the Geisenheim Research Centre in Germany, Professor Jacob did just
that. One of the progeny from a cross between the Harrow Sweet pear and the Niiseiki nashi pear is
currently being evaluated for suitability for commercial growing. The cross has the number BN 49-30
and has the appearance of a normal pear.
39
Research News
MODEL TO PREDICT
EARLY DROP
Researcher Duane W. Greene from the
University of Massachusetts has developed a method to predict apple
June drop when the fruit are just 10
to 12 millimetres. The Fachhochschule
Weihenstephan magazine reports that
the method is being trialled this year by
the Schlachters research garden near
the Bodensee in South Germany. The
idea behind Greene’s model is that fruits
that fail to grow as fast as the average
fruit will drop during the June drop.
To be able to determine the June drop,
six to eight flower clusters on four trees
are marked and the fruits numbered.
Shortly after blossoming, when the
fruits are four to seven millimetres, the
size of every separate fruit is measured.
This is repeated one week later. According to Greene, fruits that show less than
half of the average growth will drop.
Therefore, if the average growth of fruits
is 6 millimetres in the week, all fruits
that have grown 3 millimetres or less
will drop.
CRACKING
IN CHERRY TUNNEL
ents
A rain cover or plastic tunnel prevents
cherries from cracking due to rain. However, this does not mean that cherries
rries
will not crack at all. At a trial orchard
rd of
cherry specialist Greg Lang from the
nited
Michigan State University in the United
States, even in a plastic tunnel a large
arge
proportion of the cherries cracked.
d.
m
After a week in which in total 100 mm
of rain fell, 91% of the Lapins and
d
89% of the Rainier fruit grown with-out a rain cover had cracked. However, even in a tunnel the percentage of cracked cherries was high:
32% of Lapins and 60% of Rainier.
Lang explains this by the fact thatt
the water that flowed off the tun-en
nel reached the roots and was then
absorbed by the trees. In the days folol40
lowing the rain, which saw high temperatures and a high air humidity, the
leaves were unable to evaporate the
water, as a result of which it was absorbed by the fruit.
CHERRIES IN TUNNELS
The return made on cherries grown in a
tunnel or greenhouse depends largely
on the yield that can be achieved. In
an experimental tunnel greenhouse of
Greg Lang from the Michigan State Uni-
versity in the United States, two sprinklers were installed above the trees that
could also be used to apply crop protection products. This approach means
that you do not need any tracks in the
tunnel to be able to spray using a tractor
with a sprayer. The relatively expensive
space in the tunnel is therefore used
more effectively and higher production
levels are possible.
SKIN SPOT AND GA 4/7
In the past storage season, Elstar growers were once more confronted with serious skin spot damage. Unfortunately, the exact cause of the problem has not yet
been found. However, what is clear is that as with russeting, cracks in the skin play
a role. Cracks that occur in the period up to 6 to 8 weeks after blossoming can later be seen as russeting. Cracks that occur in July and August are probably visible
later as skin spots. On the initiative of the Dutch fruit grower organisation (Nederlandse Fruittelers Organisatie - NFO), paid for by the Product Board for Horticulture
(Productschap Tuinbouw - PT) and carried out by the research department of the
Dutch AFSG, an investigation was carried out to determine whether using GA 4/7
or Platina (Plato) can prevent cracks in the skin and the associated skin spot. With
one treatment of 1 litre GA 4/7 on 27 August or with three treatments of 0.5 litre
GA 4/7 on 9, 16 and 27 August, the amount of skin spots could be reduced by approximately 16%. Platina had no effect on skin spots.
Skin spot on Elstar.
Photo: EFM
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New Products
PINK LADY OF THE NORTH
The Pink Lady of the north: an alternative name for the new
apple variety Maribelle. Some twenty years ago, the late Piet
de Sonnaville, a private plant breeder, crossed the Meiprinses
and Gloster apple varieties. He then crossed the resulting
apple variety with Elstar. One of the progeny of that cross is
now marketed under the name of Maribelle by his son Ben
de Sonnaville, working together with Jan van Ingen of the
Boomkwekerij van Rijn tree nursery and Mathieu Gremmen.
Due to its pinkish-red blush, Maribelle looks a bit like a Pink
Lady apple.
Maribelle is a ‘fruit grower-friendly’ apple. The variety has a
high yield, a good fruit size, easy colouring, high pack-out
and low susceptibility to diseases. “Maribelle has a fresh taste,
a good sweet and sour balance, a sugar content of approx.
14ºBrix and a firmness of 7 to 8 kg/cm2 and has a crisp bite as
well,” says Gremmen, summarising the qualities of Maribelle.
The apples are picked in the same period as Golden Delicious
and Jonagold and keep for a long time.
Unlike most other new apple varieties, Maribelle will not be
marketed under a tightly managed ‘club’ concept, but as a
variety which can be grown and sold freely. However, the
parties that took the initiative to develop and introduce Maribelle, want to support and coordinate the sales efforts. And
since Maribelle is not a club variety, lots of trading companies
have already expressed an interest in the variety.
Maribelle is still only produced on a small scale. De Sonnaville
himself has 1 hectare which is in its third year of growth. A
total of 7,000 trees were planted at other companies in 2009
and another 58,000 trees will follow in the 2009/2010 season.
“It depends on the demand for these apples how many trees
will be planted in the future,” says nurseryman Van Ingen. In
addition to being grown by fruit growers, Maribelle can also
be found in a large number of trial gardens in Europe.
Maribelle has a pinkish-red blush.
Photos: EFM
25YEAR WARRANTY ON WOODEN POSTS
Tanalith is a relatively new preservative for impregnating
wooden posts. During the recent apple day at Klein-Altendorf, researcher Achim Kunz demonstrated this product to
PWO Robert Lindner and Brändlin guarantee posts impregnated with
Tanalith.
42
visitors. The use of fluoride-containing salts for impregnating
wooden posts was banned in Germany last year. Expectations are that preservatives containing chromium salts or
creosote oil will also be banned there within a few years.
Posts preserved with Tanalith have been on sale in Germany
for the past two years. They have been available much longer
in the UK. Tanalith is made of copper salts, triazoles (fungicide) and water-repellent additives. Tanalised posts (posts
impregnated with Tanalith) are claimed to last much longer
than those impregnated with the preservatives used in the
past. Two German suppliers even provide a 25-year warranty
on tanalised posts. PWO Robert Lindner GmbH provides a
staggered warranty on tanalised posts made of German pine.
From the 11th to the 25th year, the amount the company
will pay for posts covered by the warranty drops from 100
to 15%. Brändlin uses Scandinavian pine posts preserved
with Tanalith in its anti-hail net structures. According to this
company, these posts will last for at least 30 years. Brändlin
provides a full 25-year warranty on the posts.
Agenda und Aktivitäten / Agenda en activiteiten / Agenda and activities
Gleisdorfer Bioobstbautage 2009
International Fair of Fruit Agrotechnology
Land:
Österreich
Sprache:
Deutsch
Datum:
15. und 16. Dezember 2009
Lokation/ Ort: Fachschule für OBST-Wirtschaft und EDV Technik
in Gleisdorf
Info:
www.fachschule-gleisdorf.at
Anmeldung: bis 30. November 2009
bei claudia.freiding@lk-stmk.at
Kosten:
€ 60,-
Country:
Language:
Date:
Location:
Info
Kernobstseminar
Land:
Österreich
Sprache:
Deutsch
Datum:
17. Dezember 2009
Lokation/ Ort: Fachschule für OBST-Wirtschaft und EDV Technik
in Gleisdorf
Info:
www.lfi.at
Anmeldung: zentrale@lfi-steiermark.at
Kosten:
€ 35,-
Fructura Vakbeurs voor hard- en zachtfruit
Land:
Datum:
Locatie:
België
18 - 20 december 2009
Belgische Fruitveiling (BFV)
Montenakenweg 82, 3800 Sint-Truiden
Organisator: Fruittelers Zuid-Limburg vzw en Groene Kring
Fruittelers Zuid-Limburg
Info:
www.fructura.be
Bundesseminar Kernobst
Land:
Deutschland
Sprache:
Deutsch
Datum:
05-01-2010 bis 07-01-2010
Lokation/ Ort: Andrea Hermes Akademie
In der Wehrhecke 1
53126 Bonn-Röttgen
Info
www.dlr-rheinpfalz.rlp.de
Anmeldung: DLR Rheinpfalz / KoGa
E-Mail:
dlr-3.koga@dlr.rlp.de
Agrosimex 2010
Country:
Language:
Date:
Location:
Info
Poland
Polish
6 and 7 January 2010
EXPO-center XXI,
ul. Pradzynskiego 12/14
Warschau.
www.agrosimex.pl
Poland
Polish
15 and 16 January 2010
Warsaw
http://www.mtas.pl/index.php?sLang=en
Sandomierz 2010
Country:
Language:
Date:
Location:
Info
Poland
Polish
26 and 27 January 2010
Sandomierz (PL)
www.spotkaniesadownicze.pl
Fruit Logistica 2010
Land:
Datum:
Zeit:
Ort:
Programm:
Veranstalter:
Info
Deutschland
3. bis 5. Februar 2010
Alle Tagen 09.00 – 18.00 Uhr
Messe Berlin, Messedamm 22, 14055 Berlin
unter www.fruitlogistica.de
Messe Berlin
www.fruitlogistica.de
Norddeutschen Obstbautagen 2010
Land:
Datum:
Ort:
Programm:
Deutschland
10. und 11. Februar 2010
Schützenhofstraβe in Jork
Fachausstellung von Maschinen und Geräten für
den Obstbau
Veranstalter: OVR Altes Landes, OVB Jork, LNK Stade
Info:
www.ovb-jork.de
Fruchtwelt Bodensee 2010
Land:
Datum:
Ort:
Info:
Deutschland
19. - 21. Februar 2010
Messe Friedrichshafen
www.fruchtwelt-bodensee.de
Intervitis-Interfructa 2010
Land:
Datum:
Ort:
Programm:
Info:
Deutschland
24. bis 27. März 2010
Messe Stuttgart
Technologiemesse für Wein, Obst, Fruchtsaft und
Spirituosen
www.intervitis-interfructa.de
Steirische Obstbautag
Land:
Österreich
Sprache:
Deutsch
Datum:
13. Januar 2010
Lokation/ Ort: LVZ Haidegg
SIVAL Angers
Country:
Date:
Location:
Program:
Info:
France
12 – 14 january 2010
Parc des Expositions, route de Paris, Angers
Trade fair for equipment and techniques in viticulture, horticulture, arboriculture and vegetable
crops
www.sival-angers.com
Fruchtwelt Bodensee (D)
43
www.fruitmagazine.eu
Powerflex- Foliensystem
Regenschutz
Blütenfrost
Winterfrost
Sonnenschutz
Ernteverfrühung bzw. -verspätung
Pflanzenschutz usw.
Das Powerflex-Foliensystem kann in Verbindung mit Hagelschutznetzen
montiert werden, wobei das Öffnen und Schließen von Folie und Netz völlig
voneinander unabhängig ist
www.fruitsecurity.com
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Via Galvani, 2/4 - 35011 Campodarsego (PD) - ITALY - Ph. +39 049 5565855 - Fax +39 049 9200548
www.valentepali.com - valente@valentepali.com
Our recommendations
for your next
cherry planting
We kindly invite to attend and participate in the largest all-Poland
conference for Fruit growers
AGROSIMEX 2010
III Edition January 6-7
2010 EXPO XXI
WARSAW-Poland
PRDZYSKIEGO 12/14 STR.
Samba® sumste
protected variety
– Origin Canada Summerland
– 3. Cherry week
– Early blooming, S1S3
– Productive
– Large fruit size – very shiny
– Sensitive to pseudomonas
after springfrost
Korvikpvr protected variety
The CONFERENCE program:
The lectures and presentations concerning the possible solutions to solve current problems in fruit growing industry will
be given by Polish and international experts Exhibition of Machinery & Equipment for fruit growing industry will amount
to 4500 square meters of space Exhibition of companies which
supply pesticides and fertilizers
AGROSIMEX sp. z o.o.
Goliany 43, 05-620 Błędów, Poland
tel. (+48 48) 668 04 71
info@agrosimex.com.pl, www.agrosimex.pl
– Origin CZ Holovousy
– 4. Cherry Week
– Middle early blooming, S2S6
– Look alike to Kordia
– Fruit setting better than Kordia
– High crack resistance
– Large picking window
pvr
Grace Star
protected variety
– Origin Italy Bologna
– 4. Cherry week
– Middle early blooming,
self-fertile
– Very good productivity
– Good pollinator for Korvik
1884
Trees available as from November 2010. Place
your order in time!
CONSIDERABLY
COST-REDUCING!
ANSEHNLICH
KOSTENSPAREND!
AANZIENLIJK
KOSTENBESPAREND!
Lindestraat 22, B-3570 Alken
Tel +32 (0)11 31 21 25, Fax +32 (0)1131 65 26
Samba® sumste pvr (UE1650) edited by Darnaud (F)
Korvik pvr (file n° 2008/1161) edited by GEEFA, Alken (B)
Grace Star pvr (EU 20804) edited by GEEFA, Alken (B)
Al deze variëteiten zijn beschermde variëteiten en mogen
onder geen beding vermeerderd worden zonder uitdrukkelijke
toestemming van de uitgever.
Machinefabriek
J.M. van den Munckhof B.V.
Meterikseweg 115
5961 CV Horst
Tel. 077 – 398 1001
Fax 077 – 398 6485
info@munckhof.org
www.munckhof.org
Advanced fertilizer technology for agriculture
Chelated micronutrients for fruit crops
IDHA
unique biodegradable
chelates:
EDTA
standard
chelates:
HBED
new formula stable
within wide pH range:
Fe IDHA
Zn IDHA
Mn IDHA
Cu IDHA
Fe EDTA
Zn EDTA
Mn EDTA
Cu EDTA
Fe HBED
blends/compounds
blends/compounds
High nutrient concentration. Fully water soluble. Easy plant available.
Unique microgranule formula. Free from dust and caking.
ADOB Sp. z o.o. Sp. k.
ul. Warszawska 43
61-028 Poznań, Poland
phone +48 61 650 31 66
fax +48 61 650 31 67
e-mail: office@adob.com.pl
www.adob.com.pl
Find out more about natures best kept secrets...
www.fruitoftomorrow.com
Natures latest revelation...
Encountered by NFG...
Wanted by the markets!
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