Experimental station for fruit cultivation in Randwijk

Lingewal 1, 6668 LA Randwijk

At its Randwijk site, Wageningen UR carries out research in the fruit sector and tree nurseries. The surrounding area is home to many growers and other companies in the fruit sector as well as numerous nurseries of avenue trees. The research therefore has a strong focus on innovations and their practical application.

Experimental station for fruit cultivation in Randwijk

Oogst en bewaring

Van elke boom moet het fruit worden geplukt, geteld, gemeten en gewogen.om de effecten van dunning, snoeiregimes, mestift of andere ingrepen te kunnen bepalen.

In Randwijk, the effects of hail nets are tested on 1.5 hectares of apple trees.

The effect of hail nets

Oogst en bewaring

Van elke boom moet het fruit worden geplukt, geteld, gemeten en gewogen.om de effecten van dunning, snoeiregimes, mestift of andere ingrepen te kunnen bepalen.

The usefulness of the thin and transparent, but very strong, net was made abundantly clear before it was even installed, In the spring of 2008 a huge hailstorm destroyed not only all the fruit on the experimental farm, but even entire trees. The dents from the hail stones, some the size of golf balls, are still visible in the façade of the office today as silent witnesses.

The effect of hail nets

Oogst en bewaring

Van elke boom moet het fruit worden geplukt, geteld, gemeten en gewogen.om de effecten van dunning, snoeiregimes, mestift of andere ingrepen te kunnen bepalen.

A hail net above the fruit trees could have prevented the majority of the damage. But since the Netherlands is on the northern boundary of the climate area where apples can still be grown, every ray of sun also counts.

The effect of hail nets

Oogst en bewaring

Van elke boom moet het fruit worden geplukt, geteld, gemeten en gewogen.om de effecten van dunning, snoeiregimes, mestift of andere ingrepen te kunnen bepalen.

Whatever their appearance, hail nets always block some light – no matter how little – in addition to hail. This is why Wageningen UR in Randwijk is studying the possible negative effects of the fine-mesh hail nets on growth, colour and setting of, for instance, different Elstar mutants.

The effect of hail nets

Oogst en bewaring

Van elke boom moet het fruit worden geplukt, geteld, gemeten en gewogen.om de effecten van dunning, snoeiregimes, mestift of andere ingrepen te kunnen bepalen.

Some of the trees on the experimental farm do not have their roots in the ground, growing in a separate trench filled with sand where the environment is controlled to the smallest detail.

Its own environment for each tree

Oogst en bewaring

Van elke boom moet het fruit worden geplukt, geteld, gemeten en gewogen.om de effecten van dunning, snoeiregimes, mestift of andere ingrepen te kunnen bepalen.

From a central fertilisation space, each trench receives a precisely determined amount of water and nutrients for the trees.

Its own environment for each tree

Oogst en bewaring

Van elke boom moet het fruit worden geplukt, geteld, gemeten en gewogen.om de effecten van dunning, snoeiregimes, mestift of andere ingrepen te kunnen bepalen.

And the water that drains out of the trench is collected separately to determine how many minerals are actually taken up by the trees.

Its own environment for each tree

Oogst en bewaring

Van elke boom moet het fruit worden geplukt, geteld, gemeten en gewogen.om de effecten van dunning, snoeiregimes, mestift of andere ingrepen te kunnen bepalen.

Some of the young trees are even completely loose from the ground. This is useful for monitoring the inflow and outflow of fertilisers, and also saves work for the people who have to work on the trees.

Its own environment for each tree

Oogst en bewaring

Van elke boom moet het fruit worden geplukt, geteld, gemeten en gewogen.om de effecten van dunning, snoeiregimes, mestift of andere ingrepen te kunnen bepalen.

A wide panoply of measures are used in Randwijk to examine how pests can be kept away from the fruit.

Big brother is watching the codling moth

Oogst en bewaring

Van elke boom moet het fruit worden geplukt, geteld, gemeten en gewogen.om de effecten van dunning, snoeiregimes, mestift of andere ingrepen te kunnen bepalen.

For instance, there are traps in various locations with attractants for Drosophila suzuki, a new invasive insect from Asia, which is spreading around the world’s fruit harvest like a fruit fly Trojan horse. And sophisticated fertilisation regimens are used to see how substances such as nitrogen in particular can influence the occurrence of pear psyllids.

Big brother is watching the codling moth

Oogst en bewaring

Van elke boom moet het fruit worden geplukt, geteld, gemeten en gewogen.om de effecten van dunning, snoeiregimes, mestift of andere ingrepen te kunnen bepalen.

The most high-tech measures are deployed against the codling moth. Special fully automated boxes with attractants detect the presence of these moths and send a signal to a central computer.

Big brother is watching the codling moth

Oogst en bewaring

Van elke boom moet het fruit worden geplukt, geteld, gemeten en gewogen.om de effecten van dunning, snoeiregimes, mestift of andere ingrepen te kunnen bepalen.

A spray canister of pheromones in the crop which can be controlled at a distance subsequently sends out a big puff of these scent hormones, causing the males and females of the moth to lose the ability to find or fertilise each other.

Big brother is watching the codling moth

Oogst en bewaring

Van elke boom moet het fruit worden geplukt, geteld, gemeten en gewogen.om de effecten van dunning, snoeiregimes, mestift of andere ingrepen te kunnen bepalen.

Harvest is a busy time at any orchard, but at the experimental farm it’s all hands on deck during this period.

Harvest and storage

Oogst en bewaring

Van elke boom moet het fruit worden geplukt, geteld, gemeten en gewogen.om de effecten van dunning, snoeiregimes, mestift of andere ingrepen te kunnen bepalen.

In many allotments, the fruit from each individual tree needs to be picked, counted, measured and weighed to determine the effects of thinning, pruning regimens, fertilisation rates or other interventions.

Harvest and storage

Oogst en bewaring

Van elke boom moet het fruit worden geplukt, geteld, gemeten en gewogen.om de effecten van dunning, snoeiregimes, mestift of andere ingrepen te kunnen bepalen.

In the following months, the research staff are again busy determining, for instance, the hardness of the fruit or the effects of different storage conditions on the occurrence of Botrytis or other harmful infections of the apples and pears.

Harvest and storage

Oogst en bewaring

Van elke boom moet het fruit worden geplukt, geteld, gemeten en gewogen.om de effecten van dunning, snoeiregimes, mestift of andere ingrepen te kunnen bepalen.

In the following months, the research staff are again busy determining, for instance, the hardness of the fruit or the effects of different storage conditions on the occurrence of Botrytis or other harmful infections of the apples and pears.

Harvest and storage

Oogst en bewaring

Van elke boom moet het fruit worden geplukt, geteld, gemeten en gewogen.om de effecten van dunning, snoeiregimes, mestift of andere ingrepen te kunnen bepalen.

In the following months, the research staff are again busy determining, for instance, the hardness of the fruit or the effects of different storage conditions on the occurrence of Botrytis or other harmful infections of the apples and pears.

Harvest and storage

Oogst en bewaring

Van elke boom moet het fruit worden geplukt, geteld, gemeten en gewogen.om de effecten van dunning, snoeiregimes, mestift of andere ingrepen te kunnen bepalen.

Van elke boom moet het fruit worden geplukt, geteld, gemeten en gewogen.om de effecten van dunning, snoeiregimes, mestift of andere ingrepen te kunnen bepalen.

Het fruit van morgenThe fruit of tomorrow

A plot at Wageningen UR’s site in Randwijk with striking open gaps in the rows of trees may be growing the fruit of tomorrow.

Oogst en bewaring

Van elke boom moet het fruit worden geplukt, geteld, gemeten en gewogen.om de effecten van dunning, snoeiregimes, mestift of andere ingrepen te kunnen bepalen.

Sophisticated crossings – sometimes with inedible but disease-resistant ornamental apples – allow the creation of new varieties. Results which fail regular tests are immediately removed from the row.

The fruit of tomorrow

Oogst en bewaring

Van elke boom moet het fruit worden geplukt, geteld, gemeten en gewogen.om de effecten van dunning, snoeiregimes, mestift of andere ingrepen te kunnen bepalen.

And the shrinking group of remaining trees may just contain the fruits of the future. It could be that hard, sweet apple with red skin which just happens to also be resistant to the dreaded apple scab, or to cancer in trees.

The fruit of tomorrow

Oogst en bewaring

Van elke boom moet het fruit worden geplukt, geteld, gemeten en gewogen.om de effecten van dunning, snoeiregimes, mestift of andere ingrepen te kunnen bepalen.

Van elke boom moet het fruit worden geplukt, geteld, gemeten en gewogen.om de effecten van dunning, snoeiregimes, mestift of andere ingrepen te kunnen bepalen.

Het fruit van morgenThe fruit of tomorrow

Or perhaps the apple with red pulp will find its way to a niche in the market for more decorative fruit varieties?

Experimental station for fruit cultivation in Randwijk

Read more about the fruit research of Wageningen UR