We are facing one of the coldest and rainiest winters in recent years, which will undoubtedly bring benefits to national agriculture, mainly due to the water supply, so required in recent seasons, but, in addition, this condition of low temperatures allows an adequate accumulation of cold, which will bring with it a better quality of flower buds, a better one mobilization of reserves and a more homogeneous sprouting by fulfilling the cold requirements of all the buds of the tree. This last aspect is very important, since: Why are heterogeneous sprouts generated when coming out of dormancy? There may be several reasons, whether physiological, climatic or management, but mainly it is because the buds are not formed exactly at the same time, so some of them will enter dormancy later. When there is a delay in this physiological state and poor cold conditions, these buds will not be able to accumulate the same amount of cold as the more advanced buds. This is why generally the lower buds of the tree tend to sprout earlier, since the mass of cold air remains for longer in the area closest to the ground, and therefore they accumulate a greater amount of cold, which generates a greater degradation of the hormones triggered in dormancy such as Abscisic Acid and Ethylene, and therefore a early budding.
But what happens in winter seasons like the one this year? The greater accumulation of cold will generate optimal budding, with homogeneity between the buds and in flowering. While this is positive, if the post-harvest conditions were not optimal, or if there was an autumn with higher temperatures (in many cases in the country), the tree will not have accumulated the energy necessary to set the large quantity of flowers that it will generate simultaneously, so its only way out when stressed by excessive flowering will be to abort the fruits that have not had an optimal setting. What can we do to promote setting this season? First we must ensure that the pollen tube develops correctly, with the aim that the pollen can reach the ovary and thus generate fruits that will not be aborted, but, in addition, it is essential to reduce the stress generated by this excess of flowers, so that an excessive concentration of ethylene is not generated capable of producing even more abortion as a self-regulation mechanism of load.
On the other hand, if the climatic conditions present during flowering are untimely, such as rain during the flowering period, there is a risk of losing production due to the lack of effective movement of pollen to the ovary. Additionally, in the presence of high concentrations of ethylene, the reproductive organs begin their senescence earlier, which further reduces the effective pollination period. And in this year of such homogeneous budding, losses could be greater since the flowers present in the orchard have their effective pollination period, so it is important to support this flowering stage with biostimulants and tools that allow adequate flower setting and then effective fruit retention, in order to start the season with a positive balance of fruits in the orchard.
Stoller has the tool to meet these objectives, and consists of a pollen tube development promoter and a natural promoter of auxin development in the plant (Flower Power®), and a product that blocks ethylene synthesis, maintains ovule viability for longer and stops flower/fruit abortion (Bio-Hold®). Both products have been designed considering a mixture of key nutrients in the processes of fruit setting and ethylene inhibition (Zinc, Boron, Copper, Molybdenum and Cobalt), as well as hormonal cofactors, which complement what the plant is not able to produce due to environmental conditions.
In relation to fruit set and retention, the combination of Flower Power® and Bio-Hold® products is a strategy that has been used for more than four seasons with excellent results in various areas and species (walnut, cherry, pear, etc.) at a national level, as well as internationally. At a production level and in the trials we have seen that the mixture improves fruit set and increases fruit retention compared to synthetic auxins and other alternatives, and the cost/benefit ratio is very positive for the producer.
As a leading company in the knowledge of plant language, at Stoller Chile we offer appropriate solutions for the different phenological states based on our deep physiological knowledge of each species, together with compliance with the highest quality standards in the formulation and production of each of our products. We are committed to producers to continue providing tools that allow them to obtain maximum productivity per hectare in each of their crops.
Synthetic Auxin Control 2.4 DP.
