Paardekloof
Maximising returns on investment. By Anna Mouton. “To earn more money, you need to put more apples into the export market,” says Willie Kotze, technical adviser with Dutoit Agri. “You’re not going to win by trying to cut costs.” The…
Protective netting in Washington State
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…
Research rundown
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,…
Sunburn
Why it happens and how to prevent it. By Anna Mouton. Sunburn is the damage caused by too much sun exposure — anyone who spends time outdoors knows this. People tend to find a tan attractive in humans but not…
Sunburn research summarised
Highlights of projects funded by Hortgro Pome and Hortgro Stone Hortgro Pome and Hortgro Stone have funded — and continue to fund — extensive research into the development and control of sunburn. The goal is to better understand the causes…
Ten tips for pollination success
Cross-pollination by honeybees is a prerequisite for setting many pome- and stone-fruit cultivars. How can growers take control of this process? By Anna Mouton. There’s no recipe for perfect pollination — growers need to fine-tune their practices according to the…
The drone detective
How De Rust Estate uses infrared imaging as a cost-effective tool to identify and address stress in orchards. By Anna Mouton. Is there an affordable tool for rapid water-stress detection in orchards? This question set Karin Clüver, production director at…
The net effect on bees
How plum and pome-fruit growers can optimise pollinator performance in netted orchards. By Anna Mouton. “The pollination of plums is super-important,” says stone-fruit grower and technical adviser Petru du Plessis. “If you have correct pollination in September, you can look…
The recipe for green colour in apples
This checklist of dos and don’ts can increase the green colour of fruit at harvest. By Wiehann Steyn. Fruit need good light exposure in the first 40 days after fruit set to get satisfactory green colour at harvest. The chlorophyll…