Research results demonstrate the many benefits of putting nets over apple orchards. By Anna Mouton. Sunburn is as much a problem in Washington State as it is in South Africa. Washington growers have historically managed sunburn through overhead evaporative cooling…
Bacterial pathogens cause financial losses to fruit growers worldwide —South Africa is no exception. By Anna Mouton. The genera Pseudomonas and Xanthomonas contain disease-causing species that attack many different plants. But whereas all Xanthomonas species are associated with plants,…
Some areas are seeing this orchard-floor dweller moving up and damaging fruit. By Carin Smith. Cenaeus carnifex, commonly known as the red bug due to its colour, is indigenous to South Africa and ubiquitous in orchards, usually on the orchard…
Understanding the factors that affect colour can help growers to improve their pack-outs. By Anna Mouton. Blushed pears are eye-catching and earn a premium in the market provided they have sufficient red colour. In South Africa, blushed cultivars occupy more…
A summary of Hortgro-funded research on water and irrigation. By Anna Mouton. Water scarcity was already a recognised risk in 1998 when Dr Theresa Volschenk and colleagues of what is now the ARC Infruitec-Nietvoorbij began investigating the Soil Water Balance…
A summary of past and present Hortgro-funded Forelle research not covered elsewhere in this issue. Hortgro-funded work on other pear cultivars is not discussed here – consult the research inventory in the PDF for a complete list of pear-related projects…
A summary of Hortgro-funded apple-rootstock research projects. By Anna Mouton. Rootstock research at Hortgro Science includes evaluation trials and horticultural and disease-related projects. Rootstock evaluation The first Hortgro-funded trials of Geneva rootstocks, led by Carlo Costa of the ARC Infruitec-Nietvoorbij,…
The search continues for chemical rest-breaking alternatives to hydrogen cyanamide for South Africa’s pome-fruit industry. By Jenny Underhill. Rest-breaking agents stimulate and synchronise bud break in fruit crops that do not receive adequate winter chilling to overcome dormancy. Since most…
Apple rootstocks directly and indirectly impact fruit’s mineral content and the risk of nutrient-related disorders. By Anna Mouton. “It all starts in the soil, but the soil is often not the main factor driving nutrient-related disorders — it’s the plant’s…
White root rot caused by Rosellinia necatrix afflicts everything from apples to avocadoes. By Anna Mouton. Rosellinia necatrix is a soil-borne fungus that attacks the roots of more than 350 plant species, notably pome- and stone-fruit, grapevines, avocadoes, citrus, and…