Business Development Group Update – February 2016

February 2016 | Prepared by Ross Wilson, AgFirst | Future Orchards® Business Development Group newsletter

Ross Wilson of AgFirst reports on fruit-size and growth-rate monitoring from 384 OrchardNet blocks across Australia. The newsletter compares blocks using Days After Full Bloom, allowing growers in different regions to compare fruit development despite differences in flowering and harvest dates.

National full-bloom dates were generally two to three days ahead of the previous season, and harvest was expected to follow a similar pattern. Gala fruit was forecast to average about 162 grams based on its growth curve, while Pink Lady growth was tracking between the previous two seasons and was expected to finish close to their average size.

The update demonstrates the practical value of collecting regular fruit measurements. Comparing current growth against historical curves can provide an early indication of whether crop load, water, nutrition or other management settings need attention before harvest.