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Tree FruitMAY–JUNE 2012

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Good business governance & the role of director

Effects of irrigation in Gala

Earthworms—Nature’s soil improvers

Mealy bug in apples

IPM Practitioner —Weeds in the orchard

Prune to grow quality cherries

Ethylene measurement & control

FeaturesOrchard equipment

PruningStructures

Irrigation

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Thebu$inessof fruit growingPeter Gray

Good business governance and the role of director

I am a director on the Board of a regional organisation that works with rural communities, and last year it was agreed that I would study for the Australian Institute of Company Directors (AICD) Diploma.

In due course two fat study files arrived and I was faced with ten study modules of up to 80 pages each. I have since completed the Diploma assignment and examination, but formal study at my current age was a bigger challenge than it used to be.

AICD and the Boards of larger companies treat the position of director very seriously, as evidenced by the study material I had to cover. Despite this, the majority of directors work for small to medium enterprises—such as orchards—and are generally unaware of the roles and responsibilities that come with directorship.

Their public accountant forms the initial com-pany, and from time to time growers have to sign forms as ‘Director’. It is unlikely that any further thought is given to what that means.

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Good business governance and the role of director

Advantage of a limited liability company One advantage of a limited liability company is that, in the event of a major catastrophe, the busi-ness owner(s) only have to provide funds to the extent of the fully paid-up value of their shares.

However, recently there have been commercial and legal changes which make directors more per-sonally liable for the consequences of their decisions. For example, it has become common for directors to have to sign personal guarantees to obtain additional funding or certain supplies.

Adding directorsAlthough the roles and responsibilities of a director on the board of BHP will differ practically (though not theoretically) from those of a small-company director, the position for small companies becomes more complicated as the number of directors increases.

The most common form of growth is the intro-duction of children to the business as new directors.

In adverse situations it is no defence for a father and mother, as directors, to say they didn’t know what their son, as director, was getting them into.

Another situation which is likely to become more common as fruitgrowing businesses consolidate and form alliances is when a consolidated business is owned and directed by more than one family.

The reality is that the roles of owner and direc-tor are very blurred in a small company, with one person perhaps filling both roles. Nevertheless, this article considers some of the responsibilities that the director of a small to medium business could consider during the course of work, and how these might assist good business governance.

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Corporate GovernanceThe whole process of directing a company effec-tively is called corporate governance.

It is the role of a director to ensure that a reason-able level of governance is applied to the business to ensure that the company suffers no adverse effects.

Well-run businesses have good corporate gov-ernance processes, poor businesses do not.

One way of applying good governance is to use a range of simple tools to ensure that the business is solvent and that its legal requirements are met. But first, some important duties and responsibilities.

Good business governance and the role of director

The ‘fiduciary’ relationshipAt the basic level, a director has a fiduciary relation-ship with the company. That is, the director must act honestly, in good faith, to the best of his or her ability in the company’s best interests.

In law, it is the company that comes first, not the director or the director’s family.

Regulation of directors’ duties and responsibili-ties is governed by statute law, common law, and federal and state legislation.

The impact of these is that a director can be personally liable for the adverse consequences of decisions.

Many of these duties and responsibilities do impact more on directors of large businesses, but the following entities can take legal action against directors:• The Australian Securities and Investment

Commission (ASIC)• The Australian Taxation Office• The Australian Competition and Consumer

Commission• WorkCover• The Environmental Protection Agency.Depending on the circumstances of an event, and the conduct or intent of a director, penalties may range from fines, to the inability to act as a director for a period of time, to imprisonment.

Being a company director, therefore, is not with-out potential consequences.

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While this situation is concerning in itself it can be further compounded by an unwillingness to engage the services of people who do understand financial management.

Unfortunately my experience has also been that when growers do wish to learn more about business financial management, they are poorly served by the institutions and providers who do the training.

We don’t need fruit growers to be account-ants. We need them to have a solid grasp of the simple ABC 123 factors that contribute to financial understanding.

The director’s duty to be familiar and informed about the company finances is mandatory as far as the law is concerned. Practice is different.

Duty to act with care and diligenceBoth common law and the Corporations Act require a director to act with ‘care and diligence’. As a minimum, each director must:• Be informed about the fundamentals of the

business and about the company’s activities• Monitor the company’s affairs• Be familiar with the financial status of the

company, including the review of the financial statements

• Be reasonably informed about the company’s financial capacity.In my view this basic duty is a problem for many

small-business directors. The reality, as I experience it, is that many small

to medium company directors do not have reason-able knowledge of the company’s financial capacity, and have a limited understanding of the financial statements.

Examples of some Tools to Assist good governanceDuty to prevent insolvent tradingThe Corporations Act requires that directors should not allow the company to trade whilst insol-vent, and not to incur a debt that would lead the company to insolvency.

A company is solvent when it is able to pay all its debts as and when they become due and payable. A corporation which is not solvent, is insolvent.

A director who fails to prevent insolvency may be personally sued if the company continues to trade. In extreme cases, the maximum penalty is a fine and imprisonment for up to five years. Insolvency not clear-cut

However, the issue of insolvency is not clear-cut. For example, it may not be possible to pay a major creditor on time, but that creditor might elect to wait for payment at some time in the future—common examples include fertiliser or chemical suppliers. In the meantime, all other suppliers are being paid more or less on time.

Examples of some Tools to Assist good governanceGood business governance and the role of director

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The real issue is that a director must understand the company’s financial position at all times.

A key aspect of this is that of directors/owners who battle on in difficult times when they should really be considering how to exit the business with some equity.

I take nothing away from growers who battle long and hard to keep their business going, but this can occur when the business is technically insolvent and a more objective approach to the future would be the better option.

When ongoing financial difficulties occur (such as things being ‘tight’ over an extended period) directors should seek an informed opinion about the business situation; through their accountant or a suitable adviser.

Review the Annual Financial StatementsEach year your public accountant will produce a Profit & Loss Account, a Balance Sheet and, pos-sibly, a Cash Flow Statement.

For the sake of a few extra dollars, take the time to have a discussion with the accountant about the meaning behind the figures. In addition, talk about the three to five year trends.

Try to understand the financial strengths and weaknesses of your business. If your accountant is given some warning about such a meeting, the whole process might take about one hour a year.

Have an Annual PlanDon’t go blindly into a new calendar or financial year without a cash flow budget. This plan will help to identify the underlying cash profit, how it is spent, and what the maximum overdraft require-ment may be.

The budget is a fixed plan; the figures don’t change once you agree the final version. Once produced, in Excel say, it can be input into the MYOB or Quickbooks accounting system to pro-vide a monthly monitoring report about business progress against budget.

Preferably you should develop the skills to pre-pare your own budget, but if this does not suit you, pay someone else to prepare one for you.

However, this brings up a key issue. I have pre-pared many budgets in my time for business—the problem is that they invariably become ‘Peter’s budget’. The grower has no ownership of the figures.

This results in a much lower level of understand-ing about what is going on. Although it is good that a budget has been prepared, and the bank is happy, the way ahead is full of concern because the grower rarely gives the budget a second thought.

Expenses are incurred that were never planned; expensive new equipment suddenly appears for which no analysis has been performed.

Examples of some Tools to Assist good governanceGood business governance and the role of director

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Be aware of new conditionsWhilst the budget is a fixed plan, cash flow fore-casts provide the financial picture updated by new events.

The forecast takes into account changes in pre-harvest expenditure, actual harvest production and actual or estimated fruit prices post-harvest.

A revised forecast should be produced at least each quarter to continually test the way ahead as real life unfolds.

Develop clear processesYour business should be built on clear and man-aged processes.

If you employ office staff, there should be office procedures that provide an appropriate level of internal control over information and financial management.

I am personally aware of two instances where employees embezzled in excess of half a million dollars from medium-sized companies—and they were only discovered by accident, not through the application of good internal control!

An office manual is simple to produce and can be a valuable guide whenever new employees come into the office.

One very successful business owner I worked for spent a month on office procedures when he first bought a large business. His view was that once he was confident that his office staff managed money and information correctly, he could confidently leave the office to spend time with external staff and customers.

Even so, the office manual should be reviewed annually for potential process and internal control weaknesses.

In my opinion, some growers treat their qual-ity assurance systems as a once a year, get the tick, exercise. However, given a chance and some com-mitment, SQF, Freshcare, GlobalGAP and the rest provide clear and measurable processes for the criti-cal tasks in a fruitgrowing business.

Just as you won’t get a speeding ticket if you always drive within the posted speed limit, your business shouldn’t get into trouble by ensuring your staff follow the quality assurance processes. And you don’t have to think of anything new—the QA system audit templates lay the processes out quite clearly, and can be applied twelve months a year. Doing it this way, the annual audit will be a cinch.

Train your staffAgain, staff training is something that tends to get glossed over in small to medium business.

Put simply, if you are paying someone $40,000 a year, plus a range of on-costs, why wouldn’t you want that person to be as productive and self-moti-vated as possible?

Yet the Training Registers in many QA systems are wastelands of blank paper, or record some train-ing given to seasonal workers only.

Be assured that the incorrect use of a chemi-cal, say, or an unsafe practice carried out by an employee will not be slated home to that employee if something goes wrong. You are the company director—you will be the one in court.

Done genuinely, and with ongoing commitment, training provides an opportunity to work closely with staff, to help them understand your vision

Good business governance and the role of director

for your business, and for you to understand what their hopes are. People work well when you work with them.

The matter of ongoing commitment is impor-tant. How many instances have there been where a WorkSafe incident happens on the property, everyone runs around to organise and talk about Occupational Health and Safety around the prob-lem—then everything goes back to its normal unsafe position because the owner’s interest goes in another direction in two weeks’ time?

And two weeks is about where it sits.

Looking aheadNo, your business is not BHP or Rio Tinto, and no, your responsibilities as a company director are not as onerous as those on the boards of companies such as these.

However, you undoubtedly do have a particu-lar role and responsibilities as a company director. Consider what the role entails in well-run companies.

Consider how you can apply some of this think-ing in a simple, effective way in your business. It is not rocket science, even though business compli-cates issues because of ‘management-speak’. It’s a matter of doing the important things well, consist-ently, and with understanding.

Good governance does not guarantee business survival, but it does offer directors and non-direc-tors the chance to concentrate on achieving their objectives because the business has a strong govern-ance platform.

Note: Some comments have been sourced from the Australian Institute of Company Directors ‘Company Directors Course’.

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Fruit colour, firmness, sweetness, maturity and antioxidant content are being measured in response to both low and high irrigation treatments.

In this article results on yield and selected aspects of fruit quality of Royal Gala from the 2011–12 season are reported.

Effect of irrigation on yield, fruit sweetness and maturity of Gala apples

Dario Stefanelli, Scott Brady, David Cornwall, Ian Goodwin, Rod Jones

Scientists at DPI are investigating the effects of deficit irrigation on yield, quality and composition of apples Royal Gala and Pink Lady™ as part of the APAL-funded PIPS (Production, Irrigation, Pests and Soil) project.

Estimating fruit ripenessThe industry currently lacks an affordable, objec-tive non-destructive means of estimating fruit ripeness.

This study therefore sought to test the use of a DA meter as a practical field indicator of the physi-ological maturity of the fruit.

The DA-Meter non-destructively measures chlorophyll degradation in the fruit flesh (change in colour from green to yellow), and appeals as a potential practical gauge for fruit ripeness.

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Effect of irrigation on Gala applesExperimental methodsSiteThe experiment was established in spring 2008 in a commercial Royal Gala (on M106) apple orchard in Shepparton East.

Trees were planted in 1995 (spaced at 2.5 m along rows and 5 m between rows) and trained as central leader.

Plots included 15 trees. Measurements were made on 10 trees/plot. Pests, diseases and weeds were managed by the grower and were the same for all treatments.

Harvests were in late January and early February 2012.

TreatmentsIrrigation treatments were 38, 50, 74, 100 and 162 percent of standard grower irrigation application.

Trees were micro-irrigated using turbulent flow jet stream sprayers located midway between trees along the tree-line approximately 0.4 m above the soil surface.

To achieve the desired levels of irrigation, emit-ters with different flow rates were installed.

Irrigation run time was the same for all treatments. Water inputs were applied and managed by the

owner of the orchard.

Since late 2009 overhead irrigation to increase colour and reduce heat damage to fruit was installed by the grower and switched on at need when air temperature exceeded approximately 32C.

YieldFruit was harvested on 26 January and 7 February 2012.

Total yield (kg fresh weight) and fruit number were determined by counting and weighing all fruit from each plot.

Fruit that was small (< 100 g) or physically dam-aged from sunburn, cracking or pests and disease was separated, counted and weighed. Average fruit weight (gram fresh weight) was calculated from fresh weight yield per plot and fruit number per plot.

Fruit maturityFruit maturity was measured weekly by the DA-Meter, starting in early January.

Fruit ethylene production was measured on two occasions by gas chromatography.

Fruit sweetnessFruit sweetness (°Brix) was measured at harvest on a sample of 20 fruit per tree with a pocket refractometer.

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Effect of irrigation on Gala apples

ResultsIrrigation inputsThe grower applied 4.5 ML/ha (i.e. 451 mm) of irrigation to the 100% treatment while approxi-mately 6.7 ML/ha (i.e. 669 mm) was applied to the 162% treatment (Table 1).

Rainfall was 324 mm with significant rainfall events post harvest in late February and March (Figure. 1).

Reference crop evapotranspiration (ETo)— equivalent to water use of grass—was 781 mm and our estimate of apple orchard water use (WU) was 549 mm.

Irrigation by the grower (i.e. 100% treatment) exceeded WU during December and January (Figure 1). Irrigation was cut-back after harvest and there was a clear divergence between WU and irrigation.

TreatmentIrrigation

(mm)Rainfall(mm)

WU(mm)

ETo(mm)

38 % 228 324 549 781

50 % 275 324 549 781

74 % 357 324 549 781

100 % 451 324 549 781

162 % 669 324 549 781

Table 1. Irrigation applied to each treatment (% standard grower application), rainfall, estimated apple orchard water use (WU) and reference crop evapotranspiration (ETo) for 2012 (1 Oct 2011 to 18 March 2012 inclusive).

0

200

400

600

800

1 Sep 21 Oct 10 Dec 29 Jan 19 Mar

Irrig

atio

n (m

m)

38%

50%

74%

100%

162%

ETo

ETapple

Rain

Figure 1: Cumulative reference crop evapotranspiration (ETo), estimated apple orchard water use (WU), irrigation amount applied to the 100% treatment (grower practice) and rainfall for the 2011–2012 season.

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YieldThere was no significant difference in yield due to irrigation treatments.

Similarly, treatments had no significant impact on fruit number.

By contrast, fruit size was significantly reduced by deficit irrigation (Figure 2).

120

130

140

150

160

0% 50% 100% 150% 200%

Treatments (% of grower practice)Fr

uit s

ize

(g)

Figure 2: Effects of irrigation treatment (% of grower practice) on fruit size (g).

Effect of irrigation on Gala apples

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Fruit maturityDA-Meter measurements showed a broad correla-tion with ethylene produced by the fruit (Figure 3).

We were therefore able to use the DA meter data to make field estimates of the physiological maturity of the fruit: DA values were grouped in four maturity classes to guide seasonal progression in harvest and storage potential (Table 2).

More research is necessary to identify the neces-sary storage length for each class.

Effect of irrigation on Gala apples

DA-Meter value Fruit maturity class Potential storability Grower Significance

>1.5 Immature Not applicable Too early to harvest

0.9-1.4 Fast ripening Long Fruit ready to harvest

0.8-0.4 Well ripened Medium to short Fruit should be harvested

<0.4 Over ripened Very short Fruit must be harvested

Table 2: Fruit maturity classes associated with DA-Meter values, and their implications for potential storability of the fruit, and their significance for growers.

Figure 3: Correlation between DA-Meter values and ethylene production for Royal Gala apple. Practical description of the resulting classes of ethylene production are reported in Table 2 (below).

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

0.1 0.3 0.4 0.5 0.6 0.7 0.8 0.9 1 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6

DA-Meter values

Ethy

lene

em

issi

on (n

l-1 g

FW-1 h

-1)

Ethy

lene

sat

urat

ion

Ethy

lene

redu

ctio

n

Ethy

lene

pea

k

No

ethy

lene

pro

duct

ion

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Irrigation rates < 100 % had a significant impact on fruit maturity and consequently fruit storability and the subsequent market that could be targeted (Figure 4) as reducing water to trees delayed fruit ripening.

Fruit from the smallest irrigation volume (38%) were the least mature at each sampling date and had the greatest storage potential.

The highest maturity was measured in 100% and 162% irrigation treatments at both harvest dates while fruit from 50% and 74% irrigation were in the middle.

Harvest dates were based on fruit colour, as is the normal practice for growers. Harvested accord-ing to this traditional criteria, therefore, resulted in most of the fruit being suitable for short-term storage at the first harvest but fruit was over-ripe at the second harvest and only suitable for immediate consumption (Figure 4).

In this case it can be concluded that fruit were harvested too late for storage and use of the DA meter early in the ripening phase can more accu-rately predict optimum harvest date.

Effect of irrigation on Gala apples

0.0

0.2

0.4

0.6

0.8

1.0

1.2

1.4

1.6

1.8

10/1/12

13/1/12

16/1/12

19/1/12

22/1/12

25/1/12

28/1/12

31/1/12

3/2/126/2/12

Date

DA

-Met

er v

alue 38%

50%

74%

100%

162%

Immature fruit

Over-ripen fruit for immediate consumption

Fruit with low storability

Fruit ready to harvest-long storage

Figure 4: Fruit maturity (DA-Meter value) as affected by deficit irrigation (38, 50, 74, 100 and 162% of standard grower application) in Royal Gala apples. Horizontal lines correlate DA-Meter classes (described in Figure 3 and Table 2) with fruit quality and storability.

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Fruit sweetnessDeficit irrigation significantly increased fruit sweetness confirming the trend noticed in previ-ous years.

There was a high inverse correlation between volume of water delivered to the trees and fruit sweetness, with 38% irrigation volume having the highest °Brix value and 162% the lowest (Figure 5).

R2 = 0.9298

12.0

12.5

13.0

13.5

14.0

14.5

15.0

0 40 80 120 160 200

Percentage irrigation volume

TSS

(brix

)

Figure 5: Correlation between irrigation (% standard grower application) delivered to trees and fruit total soluble solids (TSS) concentration.

ConclusionAlthough irrigating to 74% of esti-mated crop water requirement did not affect marketable yield in 2011–12, reduced irrigation decreased fruit size, increased fruit sweetness, and delayed maturity. Growers must exercise great care in the application of orchard practices aimed at optimising yield and quality outcomes. The ability to monitor fruit ripening in the field could help growers to optimise harvest time.

Effect of irrigation on Gala apples

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Bas van den Ende

It was over 130 years since Charles Darwin published his book, The Formation of Vegetable Mould Through the Action of Worms, and defined the extreme importance of earthworms in breaking down dead plant and animal matter in soil, and in the continued maintenance of soil structure, aeration, drainage and fertility.

Earthworms have never been considered of major importance in the soil management of orchards in Australia. However, orchardists and dairy farmers in Europe are very conscious of the benefits from earthworms and their populations.

Soil biologists are generally more interested in animals or microflora that are pests, which cause diseases or affect the nutrition of plants.

There may be a million species of soil animals, and many kinds of unknown interactions between them and the soil environment. We know little of the ecology and effect of roots and microflora in soil.

It is hard and difficult work to collect reliable sam-ples of animals, roots or microflora, and to follow their seasonal activities in soil, to interpret the data, and to understand the mechanisms. Earthworms—

Nature’s soil improvers

Aristotle was the first to draw attention to the role of earthworms in turning over the soil and he aptly called them ‘the intestines of the earth’. However, it was not until 1881 when Charles Darwin wrote: “It may be doubtful whether there are many other animals which have played so important a part in the history of the world, as have these lowly organised creatures”.

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Earthworm—the best known soil animalProbably the best known soil animal is the earth-worm. Worldwide there are about 1800 species.

The most common and beneficial earthworm found in gardens and orchards is the red worm, which belongs to the family Lumbricidae (lumbricides).

All of the lumbricides in Australia have been introduced from Europe. The early settlers prob-ably brought them accidentally in pots with plants.

Most Australian native species are ‘lazy’ and have no beneficial effects. Reference is therefore made to the European species.

Earthworms are silent, headless, bi-sexual crea-tures without eyes, and have a voracious appetite. They exist throughout the world—from the cold soils of Iceland to the tropical islands of Indonesia—and come in sizes from the microscopic to upwards of one metre.

What do earthworms do?Earthworms mostly eat and burrow.

Humans consume about four percent of their body weight (in dry weight) of food per day. An earthworm eats 11 to 14 percent, which in wet weight converts to about its own body weight every 24 hours.

Earthworms— Nature’s soil improvers

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Chemical effectsEarthworms are omnivorous, so their food includes fresh and decaying plant and animal matter and soil.

The nutrients from the food are extracted for the worm’s use and the balance is excreted as casts. But it is how worms affect the soil they eat and live in, that is important to orchardists and gardeners.

A skin excretion of slime, to assist in the worm’s movement, and casts are responsible for some of the nitrogen in the soil. But most of the nitrogen comes from earthworms when they die.

Depending on the worm population density, earthworm carcasses can release 18 to 90 kilograms of nitrogen per hectare annually.

With a nitrogen to phosphorus to sulphur ratio of 12:1:1, dead worms would also contribute a further 2 to 9 kilograms per hectare of phosphorus and sulphur annually.

As earthworms burrow and feed through the soil, they set free bound-up substances, like phosphates, by breaking down the large complex molecules into more simple plant-available forms.

When the chemical analysis of the excreted mate-rial is compared with the surrounding soil, castings contain five times more nitrate, seven times more phosphorus, three time more exchangeable magne-sium, one and a half times more calcium, and eleven times more potassium than the surrounding soil.

Castings also have a neutral pH and have a higher base exchange capacity (ability to react with nutri-ents) than the surrounding soil.

But the casting content is dependent on the organic matter and mineral content of the soil that the worms ingest. Worms cannot make something out of nothing.

Since earthworms produce their body weight in casts every 24 hours, a well worm-populated orchard or pasture, can turn over 70 tonnes of soil per hectare between spring and autumn.

They can consume the leaf litter from an orchard in autumn in three months. In doing so, they can have a significant phytopathological effect on some harmful fungi, such as black spot (scab) of apple and pear.

This fungus overwinters in fallen apple and pear leaves on the orchard floor where fruiting bodies form. If the leaves are not consumed by earthworms and microflora, spores are dispersed from these fruiting bodies when temperature and humidity conditions are right for an infection period in spring. Young leaves and fruit on the trees are then infected.

It has also been observed that earthworms eat directly the fruiting bodies of the brown rot fungus formed on dead stone fruit prunings on the ground.

Earthworms—Nature’s soil improvers

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Physical effectsEarthworms improve soils physically by tunnelling through soil, by mixing organic litter into the soil and by producing casts.

They also improve nutrient cycling by mixing fertilisers with soil.

The microbial activity, either within the earth-worm’s gut or in the casts, produces gums (possibly polysaccharides) or fungal hyphae, which stabilise the casts. Calcium may also be partly responsible, since calcium stimulates earthworm activity.

In temperate Australian soils, which generally have low amounts of surface litter and are dry through summer, earthworms are inactive through-out summer.

However, in a non-cultivated peach block at the Tatura Research Institute, where large amounts of organic matter have been added annually for 10 years, and the soil kept wet by irrigation, earth-worms remained active throughout summer.

The entire surface soil (0–200 mm) appeared to be casts and probably had passed through earth-worms many times.

Earthworms—Nature’s soil improvers

Earthworms produce their own tunnels to live in and move around, as opposed to some animals which live in cavities formed by other animals or roots.

Soils, where earthworms are very active, have an extensive network of inter-connecting horizontal and vertical tunnels, generally continuous to the surface.

The earthworms exude mucus, which stabilises the walls. The soil lining the tunnels is not com-pressed, because earthworms ingest rather than push their way through soil.

They tend not to enter subsoils unless the subsoil is disturbed. This is probably due to poor aeration and lack of food.

The tunnels are stable and may persist for years after the earthworms have left. This may also be due to the oriented clay particles and concentration of humic materials, iron and calcium, which have been shown to line the tunnels.

These stable inter-connecting tunnels are impor-tant for movement of water, air and growth of roots.

The tunnels, which are 1 to 10 mm wide, depend-ing on the size of the earthworm, increase the macro-porosity of the soil.

“Yes, the humble earthworm does not deserve to hang on a hook or be drowned.”

Manuals full of practical information on orchard management and tree training e--mailed to you to keep and print.

GET THEM HEREor e-mail manual@treefruit.com.au

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The tunnels increase water infiltration, drainage and aeration. For example, at the Tatura Research Institute, an irrigated peach block with an ample supply of food and water, had 2000 earthworms per square metre of topsoil, compared with 150 worms per square metre in local orchards without ample food and water.

In the same research block of peach trees, the water infiltration was 80 times, and the macro-porosity four times that of the local orchards.

We also found that roots used old earthworm tunnels and root channels (called biopores), and could penetrate harder soils with, than without tunnels and biopores.

Earthworms are also emerging as a highly effi-cient tool to remove pesticides and pollutants from soils and combat climate change by reducing green-house emissions from landfill waste.

Recent studies found that earthworms removed heavy metals, pesticides and organic micro-pollutants from soil, a technique known as vermire-mediation.

You may now realise how valuable these slippery, ground-dwelling creatures are.

Yes, the humble earthworm does not deserve to hang on a hook or be drowned.

© Fruit Tree Media

SEE MORE www.treefruit.com.au 19

IPMPractitioner

Russell Fox

This is a series of articles about practical IPM—the IPM carried out by orchardists and advisors—those of us who walk the orchard, monitor, and see what is out there; and then advise on pest, disease and weed control.

Contact Russell email: russell@insense.com.au

A plant becomes a weed through its relative position—a plant in the wrong spot at the wrong time is a weed.

Not all weeds are bad; there are advantages with some weeds, and disadvantages with others.

The same weed in different crops will have an advantage, or a disadvantage, depending on the crop and consequence of the weed.

An IPM note: Weed suppression does not mean weed-free. Suppression of weeds to prevent compe-tition for moisture and nutrients is usually enough to maximize crop yields.

With irrigation and good nutrient levels, trees can generally tolerate a level of weed competition. It is important to know when they can tolerate the competition, and when this competition will affect growth and yield.

Weeds in the orchard

Weeds are weeds from our ‘superior’ human point of view because they grow where we don’t want them. However, in nature they play a diverse and interesting role.

© Fruit Tree Media

SEE MORE www.treefruit.com.au 20

Weeds in the orchardCritical weed-free periodsThe critical weed-free period for new orchards is the first three months after planting.

New trees trying to establish themselves are very susceptible to weed competition. Competing with weeds at this time will affect the growth of the tree for the whole season.

Intensive orchards have a small and shallow root system. Weeds growing in this root area are in direct competition with the tree for water and nutrients.

These trees are poor competitors. Weeds at any time in the treeline can affect tree and fruit growth.

Young orchard with good weed control. An inter-row cover crop sown to mow and throw onto the treeline, to start building up a protective mulch.

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SEE MORE www.treefruit.com.au 21

White clover is a great source of free nitrogen, but has a huge negative: it is a favoured host for western flower thrips.

Damage to fruit by WFT (especially in nectarines and Granny Smith apples) is greater where white clover grows in the treeline and inter-row areas.

And the damage is more severe in intensive grow-ing systems where fruit is closer to the ground than in large vase shaped trees. But the potential is always there for much greater damage.

An IPM note: Have the right weed in the right place. If you are growing nectarines and fruit that are susceptible to WFT, then white clover is the wrong weed in your orchard.

Weeds in the orchard

White Clover can be an advantageous weed in pears, and a disadvantageous weed in nectarines.White Clover: clean treeline but a problem in the inter-row. Bees love white clover; this can be a problem at flowering time for pollination with tree blossom less attractive than the clover flowers for bees.

Weeds host beneficial & pest insectsWeeds affect orchard productivity and health by acting as hosts for a variety of beneficial and pest insects.

Flowering weeds are a food source for beneficial insects like hover flies, lacewings and Trichogramma—a wasp parasite for light brown apple moth (LBAM).

However, these flowering plants can also be very good hosts for pests like western flower thrip (WFT), mirids and Rutherglen bugs.

© Fruit Tree Media

SEE MORE www.treefruit.com.au 22

Weeds and frostMaintaining a bare soil surface under trees can minimize damage from spring frosts.

Bare soil surfaces, free of weeds or plant resi-due, absorb more heat during the day. The release of the absorbed heat at night can increase orchard temperatures by a few degrees.

This is commonly referred to as the radiant heat benefit. Although temperature changes are modest, they can be enough to prevent fruit loss during spring freeze events.

An IPM note: No weeds at this time is the great-est benefit.

Weeds in the orchard

Weeds host nematodesRoot lesion and root knot nematodes affect many trees directly by feeding on roots, and indirectly by damaging roots and leaving an entry wound for diseases like verticillium wilt that contribute to pre-mature orchard decline.

There are over 200 weed hosts for nematodes. White Clover is in the spotlight again, and with the common weed, fat hen, these weeds are very susceptible to root knot nematodes.

An IPM note: Susceptible translates to ‘host’—these weeds will affect tree growth, productivity and longevity in high density orchards as they are hosts for plant damaging nematodes.

No mulch compared to mulch on the same treeline. Moss grows in the shade and develops a soil surface impermeable to water and fertilizer.

Weeds indicate soil healthThere are weeds that like acid soils, for example sorrel and dock, and weeds such as stinging nettle that prefer very fertile soils.

Weed growth is an indicator to soil types by their preference to grow in certain conditions.

© Fruit Tree Media

SEE MORE www.treefruit.com.au 23

Benefits from weedsWeeds provide intangible benefits of value to the orchard system.• Soil protection—weeds protect bare soil and

act as mulch (especially when they are dead).Very important IPM note: Mulch is exception-ally important in protecting soil and tree roots. Mulch also provides a habitat for soil dwelling predators such as Carabid Beetles and others, and it protects earthworms and other beneficial soil organisms.

Weeds in the orchard

Let’s face it, trying to grow the best fruit you can and then selling it isn’t easy these days.

Take some of the worry out of being an orchardist and improve your packout.

Drape Net—the most cost effective form of tree crop protection—has now proven that it works as well or better than structured net.

Drape Net survived the worst hail storm in 25 years at Batlow last November without any damage.

Drape Net could well be the answer for your particular needs.

Drape Net—DIY Crop Insurance

During winter I will travel to most growing regions but please feel free to ring or email for more information.•Michael Cunial •phone 04 1566 3413 •e-mail mcunial@bigpond.com

• Weed suppression—heavy growth of some weeds (e.g. grasses) can suppress the less desir-able weeds such as hairy willow herb.

• Nutrient recycling—Marshmallow is very deep rooted and can absorb nutrients from lower in the soil profile and redistribute them to the tree root area when the plants decom-pose. However, marshmallow is a great host for LBAM over the winter and WFT and Helicoverpa (Heliothis) over summer. Here is another example of a weed that can help or hinder depending on the fruit crop.

© Fruit Tree Media

SEE MORE www.treefruit.com.au 24

Click here to see more about controlling weeds at the Tree Fruit website

Weeds in the orchard

Some good dry mulch under there; with a good ‘living’ mulch on top?

Weed management—an open ended storyWeed management is an open ended story, this article doesn’t finish here.

Weeds can have benefits, can create problems, and are expensive and time consuming to control.

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The leading question, “Is it a problem?” leads into, “Does it need controlling” and then, “How much control does this weed in this situation warrant?”

Perhaps look at your orchard floor from a dif-ferent perspective.

© Fruit Tree Media

For information and professional advice, contact Ken phone 03 5765 2254

mobile 0400 652 258 e-mail k.gaudion@bigpond.com

SEE MORE www.treefruit.com.au 25

Ken Gaudion

Prune to grow quality cherries year after yearClick here to see more about

cherries at the Tree Fruit website

Cherry trees are not very forgiving should a grower try to over crop them a couple of years in a row.

After two years of very heavy cropping, a cul-tivar like Lapins for instance, might decide to rest from producing a good crop and not form many fruit buds.

Having fewer fruit buds and fewer fruit bud clusters will mean that the tree will take a year off to recover, which will reduce your expected pro-duction target.

The answer: annual pruningI think the answer lies in maintaining a regular pruning regime each year; and by not getting greedy and deciding to put off removing a limb

per tree because you believe that cutting it off is like throwing fruit on the ground.

Light is a major driver to fruit bud production. No light penetration through the tree means few fruit buds forming in the lower tree.

The ideal at harvest for cost of picking is to have cherries produced within three metres from ground level, and a good percentage of the fruit able to be reached from the ground.

Plan, Act, MonitorTo keep a balanced approach, the thing to do is to plan, act and monitor.

Plan to prune each block of cherries in an orderly systematic fashion.

Remove: •upright branches with few fruit buds •regeneration •cut back long budded laterals that have potential to produce a tube of fruit or hang downwards when laden.

Act—prune one block at a time, each cultivar may need a slightly different approach.

Monitor what takes place the following season and modify your plan if required, but be sure and prune each year.

Your decisionIt is easy to not spend money or do work on a block of cherries if poor weather last season adversely affected you financially. This is probably the time when work should be done.

There is an old saying that goes something like, the profit comes directly from the footprints of the farmer. These days the profits come not from the footprints directly, but from the four wheel bike, from sit-ting on the spray pump looking at the trees, from the irrigation monitoring, from being observant, showing staff to be observant, and acting on and modifying the results.

Are your tees in balance? Will you prune this season, or will you put it off?

A balanced approach is required to consistently grow quality cherries year after year.

© Fruit Tree Media

E.E. MUIR & SONS PTY LTDBatlow 02 6949 1696 Orange 02 6362 7366Cranbourne 03 5996 0522 Silvan 03 9737 9203Laverton Nth 03 9931 2200 Wangaratta 03 5721 3115

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SEE MORE www.treefruit.com.au 26

Shane Coster Horticultural Agronomist

Mealybug in apples—an emerging problem

Shane Coster, Horticultural Agronomist,

EE Muir & Sonsemail: shanec@eem.com.au

I have come across mealybug in other horticultural crops such as grapes and pears but prior to this season it has not been a cause for concern in apples.

I have observed mealybug in apples before but it has not resulted in the loss of crop or the downgrading of fruit.

This season for the first time, I witnessed crop loss because of mealybug infested fruit (see photo).

Mealybug can complete up to three generations a year depending on the season. They shelter in leaf axils, under bark, and in the calyx of fruit.

The mealybugs don’t inflict direct damage on apples, instead the pest excretes a honeydew sub-stance which can then be a suitable source for sooty mould to develop.

It is this sooty mould which can result in the fruit being rejected or downgraded.

Another potential issue is in export markets where there is minimal tolerance for such pests.

Limited control measuresControl measures available for targeting mealybug in apples is limited.

The pest appears to have very few effective preda-tors and once a block becomes infested it can be difficult to eliminate and becomes more of an on-going management issue from season to season.

If insecticides are required I think they are best applied early in the season when the mealybug crawlers and nymphs emerge.

They appear to emerge in the spring and move onto young developing shoots to feed.

Mealybug infested fruit

As the fruit develops and the leaves toughen up, (if not controlled), they can move into the calyx of fruit and from there move into the heart of the apple.

They need to be controlled before they are able to move into the calyx of the fruit.

Monitoring & agrichemicalsSumitomo’s insecticide, Samurai, is one of the few registered products for control of mealybug in apples.

If mealybug is a cause for concern, then monitor-ing can be a valuable tool.

Monitoring can assist managers to make decisions on timing of sprays when thresholds are exceeded.

Click here to see more about pest control at the Tree Fruit website

© Fruit Tree Media

SEE MORE www.treefruit.com.au 27

For specific advice about your store, phone:Michael 0418 999 465Chris 0409 357 302Francis 0418 311 616 (Goulburn Valley)

e-mail sales@atmospherecs.com.au

Click here to see more about CA at the Tree Fruit website

Michael Mactavish

Ethylene measurement & control

In some fruit (e.g. bananas)ethylene is actually used to ripen the product.

Measuring ethylene levelsMeasuring ethylene levels has been difficult, espe-cially at levels between 0.5 ppm and 1 ppm that are needed to control apple maturity.

However, recent developments from several sup-pliers has meant that ethylene can now be measured accurately down to less than 1 ppm.

These analysers can be either portable or incor-porated into a centralised control system.

Since background levels in air (depending on location) can be up to 2 ppm, you can appreciate that it is important to use a correctly designed and proven analyser.

I’m sure all growers are aware of ethylene. It is produced by all fruits at different rates, and it is usually necessary to reduce it to low levels to control fruit maturity.

Methods to control ethyleneSmartfresh™: Use of Smartfresh has proven to be a very efficient treatment; and results speak for themselves.Filter pads: Organic fruit growers can install specially impregnated filter pads in the CA room. However, care needs to be taken that there is suffi-cient capacity placed in the room to ensure effective control during the storage period.

Since organic fruit is generally picked more mature (to improve flavour), it would be important to measure ethylene levels regularly during CA storage. It is very important to ensure that over-mature fruit is not CA stored.

Scrubbers: Ethylene scrubbers utilising electri-cally heated catalysts have been available for some years. These units, if sized correctly, can control ethylene effectively below 0.5 ppm.

I have had some experience with measuring and controlling ethylene in kiwifruit CA storage in New Zealand. There was no difficulty in achiev-ing the low levels required for longer term storage

of this fruit using the heated catalyst machine that we supplied.

Effects of ethyleneThere is some evidence of reduction in rots in trial work when ethylene levels are controlled below 1 ppm.

Research indicates that when ethylene levels start to rise in CA storage, fruit needs to be marketed as soon as practical.

Once ethylene levels take off—reaching levels above 2 ppm—it is not possible to get them back under control with equipment sized to control ethylene at normal levels.

Next step for quality fruitGrowers are constantly striving to produce the best quality fruit for the market. An investment in an accurate ethylene analyser seems a logical next step in determining ethylene levels in your stores.

© Fruit Tree Media

SEE MORE www.treefruit.com.au 28

Two residual herbicides, Sinbar and Zoliar, have been enjoying renewed popularity keeping orchards cleaner for longer.

Residual herbicides cost more up front but can replace up to six applications of knockdown her-bicides. This means an overall saving in labour and herbicide costs.

Residual herbicides work best being applied to bare soil so a planned approach is required.

Smarter herbicide programs

Choice for weed controlSinbar is the product of choice in apples and peaches.

Zoliar is suited to a wide range of tree crops including stone fruit, pears, citrus and almonds.

Zoliar (previously known as Solicam) is a broad-spectrum pre-emergent herbicide that controls a wide range of weeds in orchards and vineyards.

Zoliar controls more problem broad-leaf weeds and grasses than any other pre-emergent herbicide on the market.

Its broad spectrum and high levels of crop safety gives Australian fruit, nut and grape growers the most economical season–long weed control.

Significant benefitsWith differing modes of action to knockdown herbicides, Zoliar and Sinbar are effective tools to manage herbicide resistance.

Using Zoliar or Sinbar means fewer knockdown herbicide applications, saving time and reducing costs. In addition, fewer equipment passes means less soil compaction.

With its long residual action, a single applica-tion of a residual herbicide can provide season-long weed control. This means a substantial saving in time and money when compared with the cost of a knockdown herbicide program.

Time of applicationApplication of Zoliar or Sinbar in early autumn will give winter weed control; in early to mid-spring will give full summer weed control.

Repeat applications of glyphosate or paraquat in orchards have allowed tolerant species to escape and multiply. It is now the perfect time to re-introduce a residual herbicide into your integrated weed control program.

from material by AgNova Technologies

Weed control that lasts These residual herbicides keep on working, and once incorporated into the soil will remain active for up to six months to control weeds as they germinate.

Both Zoliar and Sinbar has low volatility and good photostability, and hence a relatively long incorporation window.

While early incorporation means that the product starts to work immediately, rainfall or irrigation up to 21 days after application will activate the herbicides.

Due to its low volatility, Zoliar or Sinbar can be applied after bud burst without any risk of vapours causing damage to emerging tree or vine shoots.

If you have been relying on knockdown her-bicides for a few years, now might be the time to rotate.For more information contact Darren Thomasphone 0405 964 623 www.agnova.com.auAlways refer to the product label for the latest recommendations of use.© Fruit Tree Media

SEE MORE www.treefruit.com.au 29

Kondemn also provides an outstanding opportunity for the reseller to restore profitability to his sales. With a small amount of effort it is easy to demonstrate to the grower that significant savings are available.

Revolutionary adjuvant technology

Multifunctional adjuvant systemKondemn is revolutionary technology. Its OIP technology (Oil Impregnated Powder) has enabled the production of a truly multifunctional adjuvant system. Improve spray effectivenessKondemn is designed to improve the effectiveness of knockdown sprays in adverse conditions such as in hard water, and in warm situations with high Delta T.

from material by SST Australia

SST Australia has developed Kondemn, a new technology that provides most of the adjuvant needs for knockdown sprays and enables simple efficient application and mixing.

Reduce spray driftKondemn reduces spray drift and significantly reduces droplet evaporation. This assists the per-formance of knockdowns such as Glyphosate; 2,4-D and MCPA by maintaining droplet mois-ture for longer.KONDEMN is only available from SST Australia.For more information phone 03 9720 6306

© Fruit Tree Media

SEE MORE www.treefruit.com.au 30

This is one of the older style dormant fungicide treatments and has been revived as an application to trees to prevent in-season problems such as mites, leaf curl, rust and scale.

Lime sulphur back in vogue

Treated with lime sulphur. Control (no treatment)—shows severe leaf curl.

Peach branches showing the benefits of treatment with lime sulphur.

Stoller Australia is known for its complete range of liquid nutrients and specialty treatments.Stoller also supplies some fungicides and after successful programs on trees in 2011 there is a lot of interest in treating trees at late dormancy with Stoller’s Lime Sulphur.

Application and timingThe treatment was so effective for growers last year that many farmers will be applying lime sulphur to their entire tree crop this year.

The product is applied as a dilute spray (5 L/100 L of water) ensuring thorough coverage to all tree parts.

Application time is in dormancy leading up to bud swell.

AvailabilityStoller Australia distributes lime sulphur through the Australian dealer network in 20 L, 200 L and 1000 L plastic containers.

Multiple benefitsInterestingly, lime sulphur is also known as calcium polysulphide which contains sulphur, but also a highly available form of calcium which is absorbed by the tree woody tissue.

from material by Stoller Australia

It seems that there are multiple benefits of a lime sulphur treatment.

It is a thorough and economical treatment that can really clean the orchard ready for healthy spring growth.For information on Stoller’s lime sulphur, contact your local dealer or Stoller representative phone 1800 Fertiliser (1800 337845)www.stoller.com.au

© Fruit Tree Media

SEE MORE www.treefruit.com.au 31

dPrune those taller branches from the groun

Pellenc has recently introduced a new model of Treelion to the range of tools which will suit the fruit grower.

from material by Pellenc

The new model is a 1500 mm length Treelion, which complements the existing hand-held and 900 mm length tools.

This product allows the grower to prune taller branches without the need for a lifting mechanism.

Working in much the same way as the 900 mm tool, the twin-handed tool is operated by means of a trigger on the handle and offers the same operating features as the hand-held unit.

As the components are all made of lightweight yet sturdy materials, the tool is not unwieldy and is comfortable to use.

As with all the tools in this range, the 1500 mm Treelion operates off the multi-purpose Lithium-Ion battery range, which are non-polluting, quiet, odourless, and have a record operating range ena-bling you to work all day without recharging.

New slim-line batteryThe Poly 5, a recent addition to the range, is a slim-line battery which is perfect for tree-climbing.

This is a Lithium-Polymer battery, which offers good power to weight ratios.

The tools have been constructed to be robust enough to cope with the needs of the professional user.

Lixion pruners & Selion chainsawsThe Lixion hand-held pruner remains a favourite for smaller pruning work.

It has the lightest handpiece on the market and is powerful enough to cope with most smaller pruning jobs in fruit trees.

For heavier work there is the Selion range of pole and hand-held chainsaws, which offer incredible power and light weight. For information phone 08 8244 7700 www.pellenc.com.au

© Fruit Tree Media

SEE MORE www.treefruit.com.au 32

With over 20 years experience in supplying orchardists with equipment, we can guarantee customer satisfaction.

Fruit-bin carriersThe fruit-bin carriers are a registered design of trailer to efficiently shift bins from orchard to packhouse/store.

Available as ‘low-lift’ 3-4 bin models or with forks tilt for the 1.0 metre stacking models.

These carriers are simple and easy to operate, have few moving parts to wear out, and ride on rubber load suspension.

These carriers are supplied direct to the orchard industry. We welcome your enquiry.

TRANSTAK Engineering & Equipment are manufacturers & suppliers of bin carriers, picking ladders and stools, and bin forks to the orchard industry.

Aluminium stools & laddersThe Transtak aluminium orchard ladder range offers the orchardist one, two, and three-step stools, and 4ft/5ft/6ft/7ft/8ft/9ft/10ft ladders.

These ladders comply with Australian portable ladder standards & OSH. They are fabricated from high tensile aluminium extrusion, which we guar-antee not to crack under normal orchard use.

The ladders have an engineered industrial load rating of 180 kg—the strongest picking ladder available.

These are stocked in Australian fruit growing areas at every branch of E E Muir & Sons Pty Ltd, and I K Caldwell Rural.We welcome your on-line enquiry.Visit our website www.transtak.co.nz

Equipment built for the orchard

from material by TRANSTAK Engineering & Equipment

© Fruit Tree Media

SEE MORE www.treefruit.com.au 33

Michael Trautwein is a stone fruit grower at Pike River, north east of Renmark, with 44 hectares of irrigated nectarines and peaches.

With the longest picking season in Australia, lasting from October to March, producing consist-ently high quality produce of the right size to meet the market requirements is of utmost importance. Applying the right amount of water at the right time plays a major role in achieving this.

Michael first purchased a Sentek EnviroSCAN system in 1992 to help him with his water man-agement. He now owns close to 60 EnviroSCAN probes, installed right across his property.

Soil water data from multiple depths in the soil profile is logged continuously, providing Michael with a complete picture of how each block is performing.

Viewing the information in Sentek’s IrriMAX software, Michael has learnt important lessons about his water management.

Having the key information at his fingertips, he has been able to change his irrigation management to

Reliable soil moisture information a valuable tool for quality fruit production

use water more effectively. He can keep the moisture within the active root zone (and not over-water) and adjust moisture levels through the growing season to optimise tree health and fruit quality.

He finds that the data is valuable in showing up mistakes, but also where improvements can be made.

Twenty years on, Michael still finds the informa-tion crucial to fine-tuning his management and says that you are always learning something.

The reliability of the systems, serviced and sup-ported by the local dealer AgriExchange, means that he is still using some of the original EnviroSCAN probes installed 20 years ago and still getting an ongoing return on investment.

When asked if he would have been okay without EnviroSCAN, Michael said “No, we would not have been okay! If I was never exposed to EnviroSCAN I would think I would be alright. But having been exposed, I know that I would not be alright!” Contact Sentek Technologies FREECALL 1800 736 835 (1800 SENTEK) from within Australia, or +61 8 8366 1900www.sentek.com.au

Michael Trautwein (left) discusses fruit management techniques with Peter Keynes (from AgriExchange).

from material by Sentek Technologies

© Fruit Tree Media

SEE MORE www.treefruit.com.au 34

Rain on cherries at picking times has been a constant problem for growers.

There has been many attempts to install rain covers over cherries in the past, but none have proved successful.

Environet Canopies in association with OakSun Consulting have introduced an effective rain control system for many horticultural crops.

Voen covers are the latest rain control system on the market today. It has been trialled and used in many European countries with outstanding results. About 1000 ha have been erected worldwide.

Trials on cherries and berries in the Yarra Valley have proven very successful with Voen covers, with greater yields and a high quality cherry.

Using a P.E. reinforced sheet with vented open-ings to control heat from under the canopy, and dispersing water away and dropping it onto the ground, keeps the cherries dry when needed.

Effective rain control systemEven pickers stay dry when picking cherries.These covers can be folded onto the structure

when not required.Covers can be used on cherries, berries and stone-

fruit that are affected by rain.Kits are available for self-installation or installa-

tion can be arranged.This is truly a unique and proven rain cover system and growers can make enquiries to:Mark Runge, Environet Canopies phone 04 0107 7221Franklin Trouw, OakSun Consulting phone 04 1955 2720www.voen.de

from material by Environet Canopies

© Fruit Tree Media

SEE MORE www.treefruit.com.au 35

Features include:• Extruded aluminium • Fully TIG welded• Lightweight design • Double rungs • Clawed feet • 150 kg rated • AS/NZ Standards

Have your plants been affected in the past by Crown Gall Disease?

If so, Becker Underwood’s NOGALL is a spe-cifically formulated control using a live bacterial culture contained in a finely ground, pre-sterilised peat medium. Crown Gall is a plant disease caused by the bacterium Agrobacterium tumefaciens which can inhabit soil and infect plants through open wounds.

Once a plant has this disease, nothing can be done to cure it.

The disease can be spread easily to other plants and the soil can remain infected for many years. NOGALL is used a preventative treatment to pro-tect your plants and future plant cultivation.

Quick & easy to applyNOGALL is so quick and easy to apply.

You simply add water to the mixture and dip the plants into the solution just prior to planting.

Protect your crop against Crown Gall disease

It can be used when germinating seeds, striking cuttings, repotting plants or during field planting. For a fraction of a cent per cutting, NOGALL pro-vides complete protection and total peace of mind.

One 250g pack when mixed with 12 litres of water can treat up to 10,000 seeds, up to 500 seed-lings and between 200 and 5000 cuttings, depending on their size.

Special additives also ensure effective adhesion to the plant making it easy to apply and long lasting.

Without NOGALL protection, Crown Gall can return at any time with devastating results.

NOW is the time to guarantee your plant’s pro-tection from this devastating disease.

Don’t forget to Nogall.Contact Becker Underwood phone 1800 558 399 email sales@beckerunderwood.com.au

from material by Becker Underwood

Optimising soil biologyPhilippa Davis, Nutri-Tech Solutions agronomist

Soils should always be tested and nutri-tionally corrected before replanting to ensure that growth during the critical foundation period is maximised.

Achieving mineral balance will help to ensure not only adequate nutrition, but also an ideal soil structure for proliferation of beneficial soil biology.

Optimising soil biology is critical for harness-ing the numerous functions of beneficial organisms such as nitrogen fixation, nutrient recycling, carbon stabilisation, nutrient solubilisation and disease protection.

One well-researched organism is mycorrhizal fungi. The principal function of mycorrhizal fungi

is to increase the soil volume explored for nutrient uptake and to enhance the efficiency of nutrient absorption.

Mycorrhizal inoculumA mycorrhizal inoculum can be applied as a root-dip at planting or through the irrigation for established trees.

For additional benefits, consider a mycor-rhizal inoculum, such as Nutri-Life Platform™

by Nutri-Tech Solutions, which also contains the growth-promoting, fungal species, Trichoderma. Contact Nutri-Tech Solutionsphone 07 5472 9900 fax 07 5472 9999 www.nutri-tech.com.au

Super light, super strong picking laddersFarmtek Machinery in Shepparton has been selling farm machinery to orchard-ist for the past six years.

Their latest product is the Tri-Ladder aluminium orchard ladder. Manufactured from aircraft–grade extruded aluminium and fully TIG welded (which is far superior to MIG welded ladders).

These super light, super strong picking ladders are far superior to the old style, overweight steel picking ladders.

Fully complied to AS/NZ Standards and available in sizes from 1.8 to 3.0 metres, there’s sure to be a model to suit your needs.For information contact Peter at Farmtek Machinery phone 040 829 9072

from material by Farmtek Machinery

© Fruit Tree Media

SEE MORE www.treefruit.com.au 36

™

Used only two seasons8 lanes, 4 more could be added

Features:•3 bin feeder plus bin tipper•Cluster cutter and sizer•Water flumed delivery•Scales & automatic fillers for 2 kg and 5 kg•Water chiller•P.O.A.

FOR SALEGP Cherry Grader

Expressions of Interest to Ken Gaudionk.gaudion@bigpond.commobile 0400 652258

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