Researchers aim to understand how the interaction of genetics and environment drives tree performance. By Anna Mouton. An eight-year Hortgro-funded project in collaboration with Stellenbosch University and independent cultivar-evaluation company Provar is untangling the factors driving adaptability and stability in…
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,…
Prof. Wiehann Steyn, General Manager of Hortgro Science, explains their approach to rootstock evaluation. New rootstocks offer the exciting prospect of enhancing the productivity and profitability of orchards. But a poor rootstock choice can be a costly mistake. Hortgro funds…
Developing a South African phenophase-temperature database. By Anna Mouton. A need to better understand seasonal temperatures and bud break in pome and stone fruit has inspired a new project that aims to establish a phenophase-temperature database. The project is jointly…
Which stone-fruit rootstock is best for brackish conditions? By Anna Mouton. A new project funded by Hortgro will determine the tolerance of ten stone-fruit rootstocks to brackish conditions. The research is being carried out by independent cultivar-evaluation company Provar. The…
Expert advice on getting the best out of your Japanese plums. By Anna Mouton. The past season was remarkable for the disastrous set in certain Japanese plum cultivars in some areas, most notably the Breede River Valley and Klein Karoo.…
Is fumigation the only option? By Anna Mouton. Apple orchards have a limited lifespan, and sites for apple orchards are finite, so new apple orchards are regularly established where old ones have been removed. These new orchards are at risk…
Do chill units tell us anything? By Anna Mouton. The idea behind chill models is to figure out what trees will do in spring. Will they wake up smartly and crack on with flowering? Or will they linger over bud-break…