Focus Orchard trial update: January 2017

January 2017 | Steve Spark and Yvette Jones, AgFirst | Future Orchards® Focus Orchard trial update

This update summarises several active Focus Orchard trials in South Australia and Western Australia. In the Adelaide Hills, a young-tree growth project on Aztec Fuji compared heading and whipping strategies with the aim of establishing tree height quickly while avoiding early basal branches that weaken leader growth.

The update also describes a commercial demonstration of Erger™ and calcium nitrate in Alvina Gala to examine effects on floral bud break and flowering uniformity, with Dormex™ and untreated trees used for comparison.

In Western Australia, older cordon-style Rosy Glow and Fuji trees were being remodelled toward a SNAP – simple, narrow, accessible and productive – system. The work emphasised removing large wood, creating light windows, maintaining manageable leader numbers and using crop and other tools to restrain vigour.

A separate WA trial examined leaf defoliation in a low-chill environment using urea, zinc, ProTone, Dormex and an untreated control. The broader purpose of the update was to show how small commercial trials can turn grower questions into measurements and demonstrations that can be discussed at later orchard walks.