Kanyi Modi

Thinning Machines • Hail nets • Varieties • Organic fruit growing • Fertilisation • Plums • Rootstocks • Cherries • DCA storage • Research

European Fruitgrowers Magazine

In this edition: e dition:

Thinning machines

Apple varieties in South Tyrol Tyrol

The nutrient element calcium

Fire blight tolerant apple rootstocks

Japanese plums

DCA-storage and SmartFresh

language:

And much more ...

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Ar ticles:

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

Zoete kers (Gisela®5, Colt)

Automatic bagging machine saves labour ........................................................................34

Pruim en bessen op bestelling

News/it ems: EFM Today. ...............................................................................8

V E RT E G E N WO O R D I G 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@n icolai.be Nederland: Marco Van Beusichem: 0 031/654.950.432 [email protected] Frankrijk: Domaine des Croquantes Myriam Soh ier: +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)

Research news ...................................................................40 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 Rooimond 23 NL- 4197 BS Buurmalsen Nederland Desk Editor: Debora Havenaar [email protected]

Advertisements: Information: LeafMedia Mail: [email protected] Telephone: 0048 600489550 (in English) Telefax : 0048 15 8325789 Translations: NL-EN: BRightWr ite Text & Translation www.brightwrite.nl Agrolingua www.agrolingua.com NL-DE: Euro-com www.euro-com.net Agrolingua www.agrolingua.com Circulation: 12.500 free copy

This magazine has been carefully compiled by the authors and the publisher. However, the publisher accepts no liability for damage of whatever nature, resulting from the actions t aken by readers based on it s content. Furthermore, the publisher wishes to point out that products mentioned in this magazine are not available and/or allowed in all countries. The publisher also wishes to point out to the reader that he/she should always adhere to the legislation and regulations applicable in his/her own country. Nothing from this publication may be copied, stored in electronic systems or made public without the prior written approval of the publisher

Special edition of EFM The editorial board and the pu blisher 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 previ ous editions. The aim is to give you an impression of what you can e xpect from the European Fruit Magazine, the monthly magazine for the profes sional 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 infor-

EFM is a valuable and almost indispensa ble source of information for the professional and future -

oriented grower. Have we convinced you? You can subscribe to EFM through our website www.fruitmagazine.eu, by filling in the form en -

closed with this edition and handing it to one of the EFM employees, or by sending a fa x or e -mail to the publisher Agrosan in Poland. The fax number is: +48 15 832 57 89, and the e -mail address: o� ce@fruitmagazine .eu.

mation, research results and information concern ing new products, varieties and cultivation tech niques . A unique aspect is that EFM is published in three languages, English, German and Dutch .

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 edi tion was published in January 2009. EFM is intended for grow ers of apples , pears, plums and cherries , and for companies , suppliers , consultants, researchers and any one 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 K anzi, 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 K WH. 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 su�cient 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 a bove 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, in-

tends 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

derived from Malus floribunda, and is currently working on isolating several

into the genetic material of this vari ety. PR I has already been able to iso late the Vf -gene, the resistance gene

other genes that could provide sca b

resistance. Incorporating various resistance genes in a single variet y creates a more stable polygene resistance, that is more di� cult 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 ge netic modification, genes from non-

related plants are transferred. Research conducted by the University of Twente

The Dutch PRI wants to present a scab resistant Junami at Floriade 2012. Photos: EFM

8

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 Ju nami.

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 Fe bruary, IFO of fered a glimpse behind the scenes of its breeding programme. Elsewhere in this edition you can find an e xtensive 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

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. A bate Fétel, the most important variety grown in Italy, has proved to be very susceptible to Pear Decline.

of hail nets on farms on the German side of the Bodensee has increased markedly. Now an estimated one third of the

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 e xpected 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 [email protected]

South Tyrol shows interest in Kanzi, Modi and Jazz As in ever y other fruit-growing region

in Europe, new varieties are also closely monitored in South Tyrol. In t his N orth Italian region, Pink Lady has claimed a secure position and its hectarage i s still in creasing. Other varieties, such as Fu ji, 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 Ty-

North Italy is showing increasing interest in the new apple varieties K anzi, Modi and Jazz . Re searcher Walter Guerra from the Laimburg research station in Pfatten assesses K anzi to be a suitable variety for South Tyrol. The variety is

Modi colours easily, also in warm regions. Photos: AllroundFruit

recommended for planting at sites at a somewhat The new varieties must compete with Golden higher altitude in this region . Since the spring Delicious, the main apple variety grown in South of 2005, around 310,000 K anzi trees have been Tyrol. Golden gives high yields and still attracts planted here (see Table 1). a good price. Moreover, the production levels rol. Guerra has still too little experience of the new of the new varieties lag behind that of Golden varieties Modi and Jazz to be able to provide ad- (see Table 2). vice about them. But the growers in South Tyrol are very interested in these varieties. They have Kanzi favourable ordered a total of 133,000 Modi trees for planting in the spring of 2009. The interest in Jazz is even Nicoter, the variety behind the K anzi brand, was greater: they have already ordered 280,000 of created by cross breeding Gala and Braeburn in these trees for planting in the spring of 2010. 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 Table 1. The number of Kanzi, Modi and Jazz trees planted in Sou th Tyrol. a problem. However, the researcher does question K anzi’s colouring. The apples colour poorly, Kanzi Modi Jazz Year 2004

1.100

20

-

2005

4.300

450

9

2006

44.000

4

130

2007

126.000 130.000

4.500

2.000

14.500

35.000

310.000

20.000

38.000

76.000

133.000

-

-

-

280.000

2008 Total up to and including 2008 2009 (ordered) 2010 (ordered)

Source: Walter Guerra, Laimburg research station

10

in particular under hail nets , in regions where there is little difference between day and night

temperatures and in the middle of the trees. K anzi 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. K anzi is harvested at the same time as Golden Delicious. According to Guerra, in 2008, the total K anzi hectarage in Europe was 750 ha . The variety own er’s ob jective is to develop K anzi 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.

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 K anzi and Jazz score better than Braeburn with respect to firmness ,

crispness and juiciness. When compared to Braeburn, K anzi 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.

Jazz smaller than Gala

IFTA Conference From 1 to 3 February, the International

Fruit Tree Association, a fruit growers’ asso ciation 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 prod uct developments, growing techniques, new varieties, cherry cultivation and organic fruit growing . In this article, you will find the most strik ing 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 t otal p ro duc tion in 200 6 t hrough 200 8 (in kilos p er tree) of Golden Delicious , Kanzi, Modi and Jazz on the trial site in Table 3. The average percentage of Gala , Kanzi, Modi and Jazz ap La tsch (Vinsch gau). The trees were planted in the spring of 2005; ples lar ger t han 70 mm on t he La imburg research station, in the the planting distance is 330 by 90 cm. years 200 6 through 200 8.

Variety

Production 200 6-2008

Variety

Apples >70 mm (%)

Golden Delicious

40

Gala (Brookfield)

81

K anzi

37

K anzi

91

Modi Jazz

32

Modi Jazz

89

27

61

11


Both opportunities and challenges for the organic grower Info

IFTA Conference From 1 to 3 February, the International Fruit Tree Association, a fruit growers’ asso ciation 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 d evelopment of t he

organic fruit-growing sector has almost come to a standstill while in another the hectarage i s steadily g rowing. During the conference of the International Fruit Tree Association (IFTA) in Potsdam, attention was also given to t he latest developments in the organic sector. This article describessome of the striking new developments.

Bio-Topaz In a period of ten years, Topaz has, as the only scab-

resistant 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.

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 di�cult to keep the strips under the trees free of grass and weeds. This is not appreciated by trees on the M9 rootstock . According to Wei bel, 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 pro ductivity.

More phenols

Supporter 2 instead of M9

It is di�cult to get su�cient nutrients into trees grown organically. This is because artificial ferti-

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 introduc-

lisers 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

tion of Franco Wei bel, 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

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 discus-

However, to an increasing degree Gala is also starting to experience losses due to Gloeosporium rot, says Weibel.

sions 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.

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

Hot water to combat Gloeosporium

introduce the Opal variety for the conventional sector. In the spring of 2008, Fruit Select planted small pilot plots at a large num ber of locations

“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 ma jority of the 21 hectares of apples they grow are Topaz. “Until we started using hot water treatments in

Fruit Select introduces Opal In his breeding programme, Jaroslav Tupy tries

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 par ticular in the warmer regions of Europe, where Golden Delicious can also be grown effectively. Fruit Select is a joint venture with an internation -

al group of shareholders: the French companies SNC Elaris (tree nurseries Davodeau-Ligonniere) and Starfruits , the Austrian nursery Deimel , the Czech nursery Vorácek and Vermeerderingstu inen Nederland.

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.

Costs € 0.10 per kilo vent 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 com bat fruit rot. Dynamic CA storage

sector for their suscepti bility to Gloeosporium .

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.

Temperature

“Organic growers cannot use fungicides to pre -

(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

Margit Holland: With a hot water treatment, we manage to limit the loss due to fruit rot to 3 to 5%.

Opal is scab resistant and is somewhat similar to Golden Delicious. Photo: AllroundFruit

The correct tempera ture is very important when using hot water as a treatment against fruit rot. A tempera ture of 50 to 52ºC can effectively kill fruit rot fungi such as Gloe osporium, 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, K ompetenzzentrum Gartenbau Walporzheimer Straße 48 53474 Bad NeuenahrAhrweiler, Germany

PD Dr. Michaela Schmitz-E iberger INRES - Universiteit van Bonn Auf dem Hügel 6 53121 Bonn, Germany

Bitter pit in Braeburn. Photos: Gerhard Baab

Calcium is a vital element for fruit quality and to prevent disorders during storage. In addition, calcium in the soil has diff erent 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 hydro xide (slaked lime, CaOH2) or calcium bicarbonate it neu tral ises 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 bridg esbetween the soil colloids , which is beneficial to the crumbliness of the soil . This improves

the structure, the pore volume and permeabil ity of soil. Deple ti on of calcium is caused by acidifica tion of th the soil , leaching and uptake into th the fruit. Depletion caused by leaching per hectare per year is leac approximately 80 to 100 kg CaO ap with 600 to 900 mm precipitaw tion. Depletion caused by soil ti

acidification and uptake by the fruit 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

via maintenance fertilization.

14

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 e x tent of acidification of the soil . With increasing acidity, e xtra 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 Octo ber. 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 concentra -

tion 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 su�ciently

high transpiration and is negatively influenced by a dry, cold soil.

Distribution in the tree 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 a bsorb more

calcium in total than trees that flower badly, have low production and poor leaf quality. To a certain ex tent shoot growth is useful in

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

supplying the entire plant , and so the fruits, too,

into harmless oxygen molecules (O2). In this process the calcium bound in the cell walls or

with calcium via the transpiration flow . In the summer the young leaves, especially, compete

in the cell membranes plays a more important role than the free calcium in the cell plasma.

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.

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 sta bility in the cell structure (see figure 3). • Calcium binds phospholipids in the cell mem branes and therefore pays an important contribution to the stability and functioning of the cell mem branes, including transporting substances and the gas e xchange 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 re-

tards 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).

Figure 1. P rogress of calc ium absorpti on from blossoming to har vest and

dilution of the Ca-content of the fruits as the fruits increase in size (J. Streif, KOB Bavendorf) C

a l c i u m c o n

t e

n t i n t

h e f r u

Sufficiently high content in small fruits

i t

Blossoming

July

Dilution of the Ca-content in large fruits

Harvest

Figure 2. Stress res istance at cell level: neutralisation of free radicals by the calcium calmodul in complex (M. Schmitz-Eiberger, INRES - University of Bonn)

Ca

O2 Ca-

calmodulin complex

O2-

15

Figure 3. Occurre nce of bitter pit through gradual in stability of the middle lamella pectin strands

cell with cell wall

stage 1

intact middle lamella

stage 2

starting Cade�ciency

collapse of mutual cell connections

Calcium deficiency The Auxin pump

Transport over short distances from cell to cell is driven by a so called ‘auxin pump’ mechanism. The au xin 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 suscepti ble 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 t he 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 dam -

aged by hail, for example, will heal more slowly than those on trees with an adequate calcium

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 la mella (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 forme d (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 availa bility 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 K anzi, 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 –espe cially 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).

level. With apples a calcium deficiency exaggerates all kinds of physiological disorders such as flesh browning, scald, Jonathan-spot, Elisespot, lenticel blotch and bitt er 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

Ca- content in fruits (in mg/100 g fresh weight)

K/Caratio

N/Caratio

Optimal

> 5,5

< 20

Normal Critical Very critical

4,5 - 5,5 < 4,5 < 3,5

20 - 30 30 - 40 > 40

< 10 10 - 20 > 30

16

Gloeosporium in Pinova..

ne ver P in k was fu l so beau t i

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


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 sub ject 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 num ber 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 K lein-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 In Das Alte Land in North Germany, eight or

At the farm of fruit grower Helmut Bröhan, thinning Elstar using the Tree Darwin was very successful this year. Photos: EFM

18

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 ap ples, 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 num ber of fruit on organically grown Elstar in the research orchard in Jork , but no improvement was found in the num ber of flower buds the next year. According to Clever, the stronger growth that can be seen after me chanical 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 t hinning on t he ti me t o t hin manually for the Braeburn strains Schneider and Hillwell in 200 9

Number of hours required for manual thinning per hec tare Schneider

Control (manual thinning) Mechanical thinning

No stimulus for bud development Researcher Michaël Clever had some critical remarks about the thinning machine. A reduction

The Bonn thinning machine.

34

16 Hillwell

Control (manual thinning) Mechanical thinning

35 24

Source: PCFruit-PPS

Table 2. Results of a thinning trial for Golden Delicious

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

Number of fruits per tree

-

15 litres /hectare

24 April

78 43 60

15 litres /hectare

27 April

62

22 April

38

22 April

39

8 km /hour and 200 revs /

minute 8 km /hour and 220 revs / minute

Source: DLR Rheinpfalz

19

Martin Kockerols, Simon Egger, Philippe Monney, Brion Duff y 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 rootstock s 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 fur-

ther 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 pro ductivity, 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 root stocks with a weaker total yield. The G.11 with roughly 65kg per tree achieved considera bly more than the M9T337 and B9 with about 45 kg per tree. With respect to the relative yield how-

ever, which is the yield in relation to tree volume (represented by the cross-section area), a very

Info

different picture is presented (fig. 2). The highest relative yields were produced on the rootstocks P16 and P59. G.11 produced slightly better than M9 T337, 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 M9 T337 and the fire blight-tolerant rootstocks .

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: Rootstoc k vigour (cross-section area 200 8, in cm²).

cm2 25 20

15

Propagation Propagation of root stock 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 0

6 1 . G

2 0 2 . G

1 4 . G

7 . G

1

1 . G

r 4 t e r o p p u S

7 3

T 3 9 M

9 B

6 P 1

9

P 5

Fig. 2: Relative yield as yield from 200 4 to 200 8 per cm² trunk cross-section area 200 8, in kg/cm ².

kg /cm2

7 6 5 4 3 2

1 0 9

P 5

6 P 1

8

M

1

1 . G

7 3

T 3 9 M

9 B

1 4 . G

7 . G

r 4 t e r p o p S u

6 1 . G

0

P 6

2 0 2 . G

21

in 2006. M9T337 showed an average lesion length of a bout 65% of the shoots , while the CG rootstocks were only visi bly 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 U SA 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 U SA 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 compara ble. 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 [email protected]

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 Ameri can and Chinese plum cultivars . The first hybrids were created at the end of the 19th century in California , USA. The Chinese va rieties initially used then were imported from Japan . Hence the name - Japanese plum.

Until now cultivation of plums in Europe was vi rtually confined t o 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 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

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 a ble 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, pro duction in those regions is at a far higher level, with fruits of 75 grams or more.

change, but have made a radical switch from European varieties in favour of Japanese varie ties. Japanese plums are very pro bably 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 varie ties 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 mod erate 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 nurs erymen a shift is evident in the plum assortment in certain growing regions in South Europe. Spain, Italy and France are the countries e xperiencing 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 mass es of flavour, a yellowy orange skin and fruits that weigh a good 75 grams (55 mm diameter).

TC Sun is a variety with large fruits.

pollinate each other. In Spain TC Sun starts to

firm, yellow flesh, and have a sugar content of more than 16°Brix. They look fa bulous 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.

flower in early February and in South West France in early March.

Good prices

The tree grows gradually and is highly fer tile. Some growers even plant TC Sun without a pol-

linator, 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

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 in the remaining 5 to 10 tons ons are either too small or too largee, or damaged. This high production does have a negative impact on the flavour. Many ny growers stick to a yield of 45 tons per

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 ex tremely good operating results. On many farms TC Sun is grown under hail nets, and if possible, su� cient night frost protection is installed . Considering thee

Ruby Crunch has red flesh.

excellent ent yields it’s worthwhile investing vest ng in n measures to protect the harvest. A growers’ association

hectare , of which

nearly everything thing can be sold. TC Sun is not ot susceptible to biennial bearring. The fruitss are juicy with

25

alone this amounts to 3,000 tons. That is more

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.

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 ap pearance.

Promising newcomers 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. Re search is required to see if Ruby Crunch grafted

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.

New varieties needed

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 K iss, 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.

of In recent years many growers in the South o

France have planted TC Sun. This variety is also cultivated in the southern hemisphere , so it is

available during several periods of o the year. South Africa A rica and Chile are major producers . Spain is busy catching up. The production volume is e xpanding fast. n France rance In

Ju ubileum (blue lue), y Crunch (red) Ruby C and TC Sun (yellow/orange) 26


Pear growers in Emilia Romagna plant cherry trees The region around Vignola is

known as ‘Italy’s cherr y region’. However, in recent years, increasingly more cherr y 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 cherr y growing. In Italy, cherries are grown on appro ximately 30,000 hectares. The region around Vignola – ap-

proximately 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 su� cient .”

Symposium

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

On the initiative of Stefano Musacchi from the University of Bologna , on 5 June a symposium was held concerning intensification in cherry grow ing. This was held in the Ferrara congress centre. More than four hundred Italian cherry growers heard the introductions to the sub ject and visited two farms that grow cherries intensively.

27

the past, Celeste was also planted, but due to its suscepti bility 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 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 e xplains 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, K ordia or Regina. The French Maxma 14 is not used, because when grown on this rootstock ,

The region around Vignola is known for its cherries.

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


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 attack s of this fungus of var ying severity in the Netherlands and Belgium. Recent research by the Belgian research station PCFruit has shown that there are diff erent 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. Re searchers 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 pres ence 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 suscepti ble 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 considera bly e xpanded our

knowledge of this fungus.

Info Temperature 2ºC higher

Temperature meas urements at PCFruit reveal that the average annual tempera ture rose by 2ºC between 1950 and 2008. The average tem perature today is 11ºC compared with 9 ºC 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, re -

searcher Piet Creem ers delivered an ad dress on the various diseases and infesta tions threatening pear cultivation. He also presented the latest findings of research into brown spot in Belgium.

29

Dr. Gottfried Lafer [email protected]

Practical experience with new storage technologies in Austria – Dynamic CA (DCA) storage and SmartFresh TM 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 physiologi cal 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 ex tremely interesting in

particular due to the improvement in internal fruit quality after storage (shelf life) and in the preven tion of physiological storage problems.

What is DCA storage?

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)

When Dynamic Controlled Atmosphere (DCA)

storage is used, the ox ygen 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 -

tion of the fruit. This critical ox ygen 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

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

DC A Storage trial Braeburn - Internal browning 2007/08 12

CA 2 CA 1

6

DCA 2

6

6

52

2

40

TM

using a FIRM Sensor (Fluorescence Interactive Response Monitor) to monitor a sample of si x 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 differ ent wavelength (fluorescence). Below a certain ox ygen 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

DCA storage has proved its value in South Tyrol, in particular for varieties that are susceptible to scald

24

30

DCA 1 0

10

20

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

annual differences and the differences in origin of the apples to be stored. The ox ygen 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.

6

DCA Stora getrial Braeburn 2006/07 - firmness 10 9,5

9,0 9 8,5 2

m c / g k

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

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 di�cult to store in normal ULO stores due to its Figure 3: Due to its susceptibility to internal browning, Braeb urn is diffi cult to keep unde r 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 qual ity (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

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 summar y, the most impor tant 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 ob jective as DCS storage, which is to keep the oxygen level in the atmosphere in the store to just above the al cohol formation level. DCA uses a num ber of sample apples and a sensor to continually monitor the chloro phyll 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 o b jects

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. More over, flesh browning increases with the storage

time. The ob jective of the trials was to reduce the occurrence of Gloeosporium and flesh browning

Figure 7a: Topaz after ULO storage

31,1

10,0

DCA

0

1,0

organically grown Topaz were very promising ,

SmartFresh improved the firmness by on average

Influence on fruit quality In all of the trials and in practice the use of Smart-

Fresh 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).

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

72,3

acid content that was 10-15% higher than that found in untreated apples. Furthermore, Smart-

Fresh clearly slowed down the transition of the background colour from green to yellow. How 40

60

80

100

storage losses in %

flesh browning

Figure 6: Results of storage trials for Topaz 2007/08

32

SmartFresh has been successfully used in Austria since 2004, in particular for the apple varieties Elstar, Gala, Golden Delicious and Jonagold . A

clear increase in the treated volumes can be seen. In 2007, SmartFresh was used for approximately 25% of the apples stored in Austria.

28,0

core browning

Experiences with SmartFresh in Austria

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

3,2

20

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.

Figure 7b: Topaz after DCA storage

Stora ge trial Topaz 2007/08

CA

both in small containers in the Haidegg research station and in large stores at cooparatives . For

cavities

120

ever, the sugar content did not improve when SmartFresh was used. In the majority of cases , all of these positive influ -

ences also led to a higher valuation in the flavour tests (Table 1). Exceptions to this were Fuji (no

Storage trial Golden Del. Reind ers - firmness

significant difference when compared to untreated) and Golden Delicious that had been picked

8,5

too early, which due to the lack of aroma were clearly rated lower in the flavour test than the untreated fruits.

7,5

Influence on physiological damage and storage disorders 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. Ex tremely positive effects are also seen against scald. For instance, in Granny Smith, a variety known for its ex treme 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 possi ble 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 pro motion of skin spots in sensitive batches of Elstar. After extended storage to July -August, skin dam age could sometimes also be found in Golden Delicious. Based on the e xperience gained in recent years, Golden Delicious treated with SmartFresh seems to be more sensitive to high concentra -

tions 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 visi ble 4-5 days af ter 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 technolo gies can reliably improve storage and fruit qual ity when compared to the normal CA and U LO 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 scru bbers, the supplementary supply of nitrogen and the careful monitoring and control of the storage conditions.

8,0

7,0 2

7,2 6,8 6,5

6,5

m c 6,0 / g k

6,3

6,1

5,5

6,2

6,2

5,8

5,5

5,7

5,0

CA 23.09.2003

4,5

CA 07.10.03

4,5

4,5

MCP 23.09.2003

4,0

4,9

4,6

MCP 07.10.03

3,5 Einlagerung

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).

Flavour (1 – 10) Without 1-MCP With 1-MCP Elstar 26.08.2002 6.1 a 6.1 a Gala 26.08.2002 2.2 a 3.9 b Rubens 2.6 a 4.6 b 10.09.2002 Golden Klon B 4.8 b 12.09.2002 1.7 a Golden Reinders 2.5 a 5.1 b 12.09.2002 Fuji Kiku 8 4.6 a 4.4 a 16.10.2002 Numb ers 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) Variety

Harvesting moment

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: [email protected]

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 dy namische CA-L agerung. Besseres Obst 9, 17 − 20. Gasser F., Höhn E., 2007. Dynamische CA-L agerung − Versuchsresultate und Vergleich mit MCP. Vortrag im Rahmen des Interreg IIIA Projektes in Ravens burg am 16.08.2007. Zanella , A ., Cazanelli, P., Panarese, A ., Coser, M ., Cecchinel, M. and Rossi , O. 2005. Fruit fluorescen -

ce response to low o xygen stress: Modern storage technologies compared to 1-MCP treatment of ap ple. Acta Hort . 682: 1535−1542. Zanella A ., 2004. Dynamische CA-L agerung und Anwendung von 1-MCP. Besseres Obst 9, 11 − 13

33


Automatic bagging machine saves labour The English supermark ets sell lots of ap-

ples in bags of 1 or 1.5 ki los. The large packing stations use fully automatic bagging machines to count and weigh the apples. However, such machines are mostly too expensive for smaller pack ing stations. D uring the N ational 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 e xactly the same weight of fruit ends up in each bag. The machine also closes the bags and attaches a label. Hardly any

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.

human intervention is required. Due to the price,

Careful placement

approximately € 200,000 each, these machines are often unprofitable for the smaller packing

The bagging machine from Burg’s Machinefa-

stations. Suppliers of grading and packing equip ment saw that the smaller packing stations needed smaller bagging machines. Maf Roda, Greefa

briek does not roll, but as it were ‘places’ the ap ples into the bags. Another difference is that the

machine also closes the bags, la bels 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 machine costs around €55,000 excluding vat. Greefa’s machine around €7,000. The Maf Roda sales rep declined to give a price .

The Burg’s Machinefabriek machine closes and labels the bags. Photos: EFM

34

Using the Greefa machine, one person can fill seven to eight bags per minute, e xplained the company representative . A person filling the bags by hand would fill appro ximately three bags per minute. The fully automatic machines used in large packing stations fill twenty bags per minute.

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Production and market developments NETHERLANDS: FEWER NEW VARIETIES

Table: Hec tarage and hec tarage 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 O� ce. In the 2007/2008 winter, 224 hectares of the three new varieties K anzi, Junami and Rubens were planted. The year before, the figure was 345 hectares. In total, in 2008, there were 934 hectares of K anzi, Junami and Rubens in the Netherlands (see Table)

Ras

2004

2005

200 6

Junami K anzi Rubens

0

26

8

51

101 192

0

31

Total

8

of which newly planted

8

NEW ZEALAND: STRONG INCREASE IN JAZZ ACREAGE

Relatively little fruit is currently sold in supermarkets in Poland. Professor Eber-

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

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.

200 8

259

363

306

381

72

145

190

108

365

710

934

100

257

345

224

Source: CBS

POLAND: NOT MUCH FRUIT SOLD THROUGH SUPERMARKETS hard Makosz estimates that around a

2007

Jazz is getting close to becoming the

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 com bines the advantages of a high percentage of top quality fruit with an easy harvest. The situation for Braeburn is compara ble. 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 dwarf ing varieties such as Earlise, Samba, Skeena and Sweetheart . The more vigorous varieties such as Burlat, Bellise, K ordia 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

knife . “ Because we planted well branched trees at 50 cm, they don’t need to grow much more. We hope

mainly seen growth in the top of the

the root pruning will lead to the trees

trees. Each tree now has 5 to 10 one year old side shoots . Van de Water plans to leave these shoots as much as possi ble and let them produce buds.

both producing buds and growing a little more,” Maurits van de Water e x-

Early in March , the trees were root

plains their decision to root prune the trees already in their second year of growth.

pruned on one side using an angled

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 Raiffaisenver band 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 in creasing, 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 coopera -

tives. 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 pe riod 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 horti cultural 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 Ger-

man 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 season al workforce, and 14,700 more than in 2008. At 61% of the total , Polish work ers 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; hans [email protected])

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.

Schöne Helene is one of the varieties from Professor Jacob’s breeding programme in Geisenheim. Photos: EFM

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 Re search 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 possi ble to evaluate flavour and shelf life at that point.

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 de veloped a method to predict apple June drop when the fruit are just 1 0 to 12 millimetres. The Fachhochschule

CHERRIES IN TUNNELS The return made on cherries grown in a tunnel or greenhouse depends largely

the Schlachters research garden near the Bodensee in South Germany. The

on the yield that can be achieved. In

are marked and the fruits num bered. 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 A rain cover or plastic tunnel prevents ents cherries from cracking due to rain. How owever, this does not mean that cherries rries will not crack at all. At a trial orchard d of cherry specialist Greg Lang from the

Michigan State University in the United ited rge States, even in a plastic tunnel a large proportion of the cherries cracked. After a week in which in total 100 mm m of rain fell , 91% of the Lapins and 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 that the water that flowed off the tun -

nel reached the roots and was thenn absorbed by the trees. In the days fol ol-

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

Weihenstephan magazine reports that the method is being trialled this year by 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

40

lowing the rain, which saw high tem peratures and a high air humidity, the leaves were unable to evaporate the water, as a result of which it was a bsorbed by the fruit.

more effectively and higher production levels are possible.

an experimental tunnel greenhouse of Greg Lang from the Michigan State Uni-

SKIN SPOT AND GA 4/7 In the past storage season, Elstar growers were once more confronted with seri ous skin spot damage. Unfortunately, the exact cause of the pro blem 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 Mari belle 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

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.

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

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 K lein-Altendorf , researcher Achim K unz demonstrated this product to

visitors. The use of fluoride- containing salts for impregnating wooden posts was banned in Germany last year. Ex pectations 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 preser vatives 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 .

PWO Robert Lindner and Brändlin guarantee posts impregnated with Tanalith.

42

Agenda und Aktivitäten / Agenda en activiteiten / Agenda and activities Gleisdorfer Bioobstbautage 2009

International Fair of Fruit Agrotechnology

Land: Österreich Sprache: Deutsch 15. und 16. Dezember 200 9 Datum: 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 K osten: € 60,-

Country: Language: Date: Location: Info

Kernobstseminar Land: Österreich Deutsch Sprache: 17. Dezember 200 9 Datum: Lokation / Ort: Fachschule für OBST-Wirtschaft und EDV Technik in Gleisdorf Info: www.lfi.at Anmeldung: zentrale@lfi-steiermark .at K osten: € 35,-

Fructura Vak beurs voor hard- en zachtfruit Land: Datum: Locatie:

België 18 - 20 december 200 9 Belgische Fruitveiling (BFV) Montenakenweg 82, 3800 Sint-Truiden Organisator: Fruittelers Zuid-L imburg vzw en Groene K ring Fruittelers Zuid -Limburg Info: www.fructura.be

Bundesseminar Kernobst Land: Deutschland Sprache: Deutsch 05-01-2010 bis 07-01-2010 Datum: Lokation / Ort: Andrea Hermes Akademie In der Wehrhecke 1 53126 Bonn-Röttgen Info www.dlr-rheinpfalz .rlp.de Anmeldung: DLR Rheinpfalz / K oGa E- Mail: [email protected]

Agrosimex 2010 Country: Language: D ate: Location: Info

Poland Polish 6 and 7 Januar y 2010 EXPO -center XXI, ul. Pradzynskiego 12/14 Warschau. www.agrosime x.pl

Poland Polish 15 and 16 Januar y 2010 Warsaw http: //www .mtas.pl /index.php?sLang=en

Sandomierz 2010 Country: Language: Date: Location: Info

Poland Polish 26 and 27 Januar y 2010 Sandomierz (PL) www.spotkaniesadownicze .pl

Fruit Logistica 2010 Land: Datum:

Deutschland 3. bis 5. Februar 2010 Zeit: Alle Tagen 09.00 – 18.00 Uhr Ort: Messe Berlin, Messedamm 22, 14055 Berlin Programm: unter www.fruitlogistica .de Veranstalter: Messe Berlin Info 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:

19. - 21. Februar 2010

Deutschland

Ort: Info:

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 13. Januar 2010 Datum: Lokation / Ort: LVZ Haidegg

SIVAL Angers Country: D ate: Location: Program: Info:

France 12 – 14 januar y 2010 Parc des Ex positions, rou te 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

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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

protected variety

AGROSIMEX sp. z o.o. Goliany 43, 05-620 Błędów, Poland tel. (+48 48) 668 04 71 [email protected], 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

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– Origin Italy Bologna – 4. Cherry week – Middle early blooming, self-fertile – Very good productivity – Good pollinator for Korvik

1884

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