On July 31, the accumulation of cold hours ended and cherry producers are preparing to establish strategies to exit dormancy. In this context, we spoke with Karen Sagredo, an academic from the University of Chile, specialist in fruit growing, integrated fruit production, winter break and biology.
«In reality, what is needed is for the heat to be uniform and to be aware of these temperature fluctuations. There is not much to do, if the temperature is low there is no way to raise it, but the plant's machinery has to be maintained. We have to be much more rigorous with the regulation of irrigation, once there are plants. Now, what I think we have to do is apply sprouting stimulators, uniformizers, according to the strategy that they are going to use, because with that we will promote uniform sprouting, which is what you need to manage it.»
Special care must be taken with frost phenomena, mainly between the phenological stages of swollen bud and exposed bouquet.
«You have to be very careful with frost and with the phenological states as well. By the way, all this erratic weather brings us very cold mornings and the sun comes out and it starts to get hot or the sun comes out and it doesn't start to get hot, so what does that plant do with that light? And as for frost, you have to be aware of it and monitor that if there are low temperatures you have to adjust the load estimates and based on that you have to monitor the buds. Not only see how high the temperature was or there may or may not be damage, so you have to monitor it.«.
Karen Sagredo, a specialist in fruit growing, integrated fruit production, winter break and biology, also referred to the need to keep in mind the risks that the summer season will bring with it.
"I think this year will be so-so, using the words of the UN, in this time of year."
boiling, we have to be prepared for thermal stress."
While flowering has just begun in the north of the country, in the Ovalle area, in the central and south-central areas, they are already thinking about applying dormancy breakers; of course, this season without the pressure of a Chinese New Year, since the celebration will take place 19 days later than in the recent campaign.
«Certainly, we are in no hurry to get out early now, to have the fruit grow as quickly as possible,
So it is a year in which the fruit must be allowed to grow at its own pace and stimulate those points or
phases safely, where one can gain certain characteristics, be it caliber, color,
etc. The work of the plants is what matters, the heat waves modify the coloration and the
maturation", concluded Karen Sagredo.
