The science behind the control strategy. By Anna Mouton. Figuring out plum marbling is like building a jigsaw. The discovery of plum viroid I was that essential first corner-piece needed to start solving the puzzle. Researchers have since expanded the…
What is it and what can be done about it? By Anna Mouton. What is plum marbling? Plum marbling is an infectious disease of Japanese plums caused by plum viroid I. Viroids are small circular strands of RNA — short…
A new study investigates water use in full-bearing Japanese plum orchards, and how water availability impacts fruit yield and quality. By Engela Duvenage. The project is co-funded by the Water Research Commission and Hortgro. It is led by Prof. Nebo…
Spores of decay-causing fungi are an ever-present threat to stone and pome fruit. Understanding exactly how the rot sets in can help growers prevent losses. By Anna Mouton. A post-harvest disease is any disease where the symptoms appear after harvest.…
Environmental conditions after harvest can make or break stone-fruit quality. By Anna Mouton. “Low temperatures are important for maintaining fruit quality,” says Handré Viljoen, stone-fruit research manager at ExperiCo. “At the correct temperatures the fruit will develop fewer internal defects…