PEAR TRIAL 2017

GENERAL INFORMATION

OBJECTIVES

The objective of this trial with the application of Stoller Technology, is to: compensate the stress by phytotoxicity, in order to achieve a sufficient rate of “russeting”, avoiding a significant decrease in the potential harvest.

INTRODUCTION

Currently, pear cultivation (Pyrus sp.) has a national production area of 22,547 hectares, producing a total of 349,247 tons of fruit. Catalonia is the most productive community of this fruit with a production of 138,323 Kg in 2016, representing 39.6% of the Spanish national production.

In the Lleida production area, due to its climatological characteristics, the pears of the Conference variety do not obtain one of the qualitative characteristics that distinguish it in other production areas: a “russeting” that gives it the appearance for which it is commercially known. This absence of natural “russeting” caused the adoption of application with various compounds, from cupric formulations and iron deficiency correctors, to substances containing fermented Aureobasidium pullulans. The treatments with metals, usually accompanied by amino acids that help them penetrate the fruit’s epidermis, are more economical, but produce a phytotoxicity not only in the fruit but also in the young shoots, and consequently, a greater abscission or “purge” of fruitlets, which reduces the productivity of the plantations.

The trial plot, located in the municipality of Bellpuig (Lleida), has the usual harvest date at the end of August and an approximate production of 32,000 - 34,000 Kg/Ha. Commercial firmness is set between 5-6 Kg/cm2 and Brixº at 12-13; calibers greater than or equal to 65 mm.

Trial code 17_17T FRFP_BFHP0000_LLES_17

Collaboration Jaume Torres

Location Lleida, Spain

Zona de ensayo Bellpuig

Start date 04/04/2017

End date 22/08/2017

Developed by Jaume Torres

TRIAL DESCRIPTION

Crop Pear (Pyrus sp.)

Variety Conferencia

Planting date 15 years

Density 4 x 2 m

Trial design 2 theses: Control and Stoller

Contains patented Stoller Technology and is applied to control stress processes due to excessive production of ethylene. It allows to act on the effects of any type of stress, being a powerful antioxidant that interferes in the synthesis and balance of the ethylene stress hormone and, therefore, the consequent production of abscisic acid.

It contains the Stoller Technology able to regulate the synthesis of ethylene, and therefore, its presence in the hormonal system, thus avoiding the physiological abscission of flowers and fruits due to stress or senescence. Furthermore, it regulates fruit ripening processes, ensuring good organoleptic and commercial fruit quality for a longer period, in pre- and post-harvest.

The 2 theses treated and Control received the same nutritional and phytosanitary treatments, the only difference being the additional input of the Stoller treatments in the treated thesis.

PRODUCT CHARACTERISTICS

PRODUCTS AND TREATMENT DOSES

APPLICATION MOMENT

No. TreatmentsDose

(Liters/Ha)Application Method Application Moment

0

ControlIron chelate 5.5% Cu oxide 30% Zn Sulfate 30%

Amino acids 10%

7 L/Ha (Fe)

1.25 L/Ha(Cu and Zn)

2.5 L/Ha(Amino acids)

FOLIAR

Treatments to induce “russetting”.

BBCH H–I: 06/04/2017 BBCH I–J: 19/04/2017

1

HOLD PLUS3 L/Ha

1.5 L/Ha

FOLIAR

BBCH H-I: 04/04/2017

ControlIron chelate 5.5% Cu oxide 30% Zn Sulfate 30%

Amino acids 10%

7 L/Ha (Fe)

1.25 L/Ha(Cu y Zn)

2.5 L/Ha(Aminoácidos)

Treatments to induce “russetting”.

BBCH H–I: 06/04/2017 BBCH I–J: 19/04/2017

BIOFORGE 1.5 L/HaBBCH I: 12/04/2017BBCH J: 24/04/2017

Image 1.- Detail of the trial plot. Note the greater vegetative vigor and recovery of the STOLLER area (first 8 lines).

Images 2-3.- Detail of the induced “russetting” and the homogeneous size of the fruits of the same bunch.

H: Petal fall – Fruit set (04/04/2017)I: Petal fall – Fruit set (12/04/2017)J: Developing fruit (19/04/2017)

Pears/Tree Caliber Pears/Tree Caliber

PEAR TRIAL 2017

Graphs 1 and 2.- Evaluations of No. of pears/tree and average Caliber (mm) of Stoller and Control fruits before the harvest (08/08/2017) and during the harvest (22/08/2017).

Evaluations 08/08/2017 Evaluations 22/08/2017

Parameters T0 T1 % Δ

Pears/Tree 70 75 +7.14%

Variability 55 - 81 64 - 84 -

Caliber (mm) 48 52 +8.33%

Variability 44 - 56 45 – 56 -

Parameters08/08/2017 22/08/2017

T0 T1 % Δ T0 T1 % Δ

Pears/Tree 64 71 +10.94% 68 76 +11.76%

Caliber (mm) 72 74 +2.78% 70 75 +7.14%

Variability 57-85 58 -83 - 65 - 79 69-80 -

Firmness (Kg/cm2) 6.5 7 +7.69% 6.1 6.9 +13.11%

Refractr. (Brixº) 14.2 15.3 +7.75% 14.9 16 +7.38%

Average of evaluations: 22/06/2017

Average of evaluations

Table 1.- Averages of organoleptic evaluations and productivity on fruits chosen at random from both theses 22/06/2017.

Table 2.- Averages of organoleptic evaluations and productivity on fruits chosen at random from both theses on two evaluation dates 08/08/2017 and 22/08/2017.

EVALUATIONS

In order to evaluate the different theses, random fruits of both theses are chosen to evaluate: Production (pears/tree), Caliber (mm), firmness (Kg/cm2) and Brixº.

The first evaluation was made on 22/06/2017.

The following evaluations were made 2 weeks before the harvest (08/08/2017) and during the harvest (22/08/2017).

Images 2-3.- Detail of fruits in pre-harvest of the induced “russetting” and caliber homogeneity, for the CONTROL (left) and STOLLER (right).

HOLD PLUS and BIOFORGE: Thanks to the Stoller Technology, they have been able to regulate ethylene levels, thus attenuating the phytotoxicity induced by the treatments made to induce “rusetting”.

Under the conditions in which the present trial was developed it can be concluded that the Stoller Technology contained in the products HOLD PLUS and BIOFORGE:

• INCREASE THE PERCENTAGE OF FRUIT WITH A HOMOGENEOUS “RUSSETTING” AND OF HIGH COMMERCIAL QUALITY.

• INCREASE FRUIT CALIBER AND BRIXº: Although of relative statistical significance, the Stoller thesis T1 shows better results in both parameters, obtaining a higher percentage of fruits with commercial size ≥65 mm.

• INCREASE THE HOMOGENEITY OF THE CALIBERS OF PEARS LOCATED IN THE SAME BUNCH.

• IMPROVES THE RECOVERY OF THE PLANT AND ITS SUBSEQUENT VEGETATIVE DEVELOPMENT, AFTER PHYTOTOXIC TREATMENTS.

• PRESENT FRUITS WITH OPTIMUM FIRMNESS: The Stoller T1 thesis presents a better penetromy than the Control, which ensures a better conservation of the fruit, both on the tree and in the conservation chamber.

CONCLUSIONS

TRIAL PREPARED BY:JAUME TORRES GUASCH Technical Advisor. VICENTE DOMÉNECH and ABBAS CABALLERO Stoller Europe Technical Department.