Research Director: Carlos José Tapia T. Agricultural Engineer. M.Sc. Technical Director Avium SpA.
Research Executive: Emilio Martínez G. Avium SpA Technical Team.
1.Introduction.
Depending on the demand of the orchards in production, to maintain a complete water status and permanent fertilization in the pre-harvest stage. In general, the quality and condition of the fruit responds to an adequate and rational soil and foliar fertilization program, attributing action to the different nutrients in different phenological states according to the needs of the species. On the other hand, a deficiency of some nutrient at certain times or the total absence of a foliar fertilization program can have an adverse effect on the formation of quality fruit. The incorporation of products via irrigation, being complementary to the fertilization program at this stage, could be of vital importance to ensure an optimal vegetative status and to further enhance the development of root recovery. The objective of this research is to evaluate the applications of Bioamino-L® as a complement to vegetative development, analyzed by indicators of root growth, harvest, soluble solids among other parameters.
2. General materials and procedures.
The research was carried out at Agrícola Santa Ana del Rosario Ltda., Santa Ana Estate in the Rosario sector of the Rengo commune, VI region. Regarding plant material, the treatments were carried out on the Santina variety (Table 1). The orchard is established on a traditional central axis, with a 38 L/hour sprinkler irrigation system.
All cultural management measures were carried out in terms of phytosanitary, soil and foliar nutrition programs and cultural tasks such as pruning, load regulation, weed control, etc., were in accordance with the program to obtain fruit for export.
Table 1. Plant material intended for use in Bioamino-L® testing as a supplement to vegetative development in cherry trees.
2.1 Treatments.
An effective comparison was made in two treatments including a control. Applications were made via irrigation to the soil on three dates preliminarily determined for the Bioamino-L® treatments (Table 2).
Table 2. Details of treatments and application date in trial using Bioamino-L® as a complement to vegetative development in cherry trees cv. Santina.
For the implementation of the applications of each treatment, an area of approximately 2.1 hectares was used for Bioamino-L® and 2,000 m2 of surface for the control. Blocks of 10 plants were used, chosen based on their similar vigor, load and health for the measurements detailed in point number 4.0 in response factors. In the application blocks, borders are contemplated between treatments.
3. Experimental design and statistical analysis.
The experimental unit of the test was each plant with its respective treatment. The experimental design will be completely random, the experimental unit being the tree and the repetitions depending on each measurement detailed in point 4.0 of the development of the method and response variables.
The data were subjected to simple analysis of variance and those variables that had statistical significance were subjected to the Tukey multiple comparison test at the 5% significance level (p≤0.05). All analyses were performed using the statistical program Statgraphics Centurion v. XVI.II.
4.Development of the method and result of the response factors.
The application was carried out at the concentrations described above according to the phenological state of the plant (Table 2).
4.1 hp. Santina.
4.1.1 Root development.
In post-harvest, root development was measured expressed in weight (g) in a given volume of soil, converting this result to weight (g) of roots per 1 m-3 of soil volume (Table 3; Fig. 2). For this, cages measuring 43 x 23 x 30 cm in length, width and height respectively were used for each treatment, located 20 cm from each tree between the row and at a depth of 50 cm from its base (Fig. 1). The period of root growth evolution was from 28.09.17 to 09.04.18. For this, 10 repetitions were used for each treatment.
Figure 1: Dimensions (cm.) of cages for testing the use of Bioamino-L® as a complement to vegetative development in cherry trees cv. Santina.
Table 3: Weight (g.) of roots per volume (m-3) of soil for each treatment in the test using Bioamino-L® as a complement to vegetative development in cherry trees cv. Santina.
Equal letters in the same column do not present statistical differences according to Tukey at the 95% confidence level.
4.1.2 Measurement of soil indicators.
A complete soil fertility analysis was carried out to qualitatively evaluate the soil in each treatment. These analyses include:
-pH-C.Electrical – Organic Matter – NPK available.
-Exchangeable cations (Ca-Mg-K-Na) – CEC – Micronutrients (Fe-Mn-Zn-Cu – B) available.
-Texture (with separation of coarse and fine sand) – Moisture retention at 0.33 and 15 bar (CC and PMP).
- Apparent density – Real density – Total porosity – Macroporosity – Microporosity
The analyses were carried out in two stages, at the beginning of spring in October on 02.11.17 and at the beginning of autumn in March on 28.03.18. 5 repetitions will be used per treatment consisting of 1 kg of soil for each repetition. The analyses were outsourced to Laboratorio Agrolab based on its own sampling protocol. The data analysis was carried out by comparing the same treatment on the two sampling dates previously determined. The objective is to recognize the evolution of the different parameters analyzed in the same sector of soil for each of the treatments.
Table 4. Soil fertility evaluation of the control treatment at the beginning of spring and early autumn in a trial using Bioamino-L® as a complement to vegetative development in cherry trees cv. Santina.
Table 5. Soil fertility evaluation of the Bioamino-L® treatment in early spring and early autumn in a trial using Bioaminol-L® as a complement to vegetative development in cherry trees cv. Santina.
Table 6. Evaluation of exchangeable cations in soil from the control treatment at the beginning of spring and early autumn in a trial using Bioamino-L® as a complement to vegetative development in cherry trees cv. Santina.
Table 7. Evaluation of soil exchangeable cations from the Bioamino-L® treatment in early spring and early autumn in a trial using Bioaminol-L® as a complement to vegetative development in cherry trees cv. Santina.
Table 8. Evaluation of available microelements in soil from the control treatment at the beginning of spring and early autumn in a trial using Bioamino-L® as a complement to vegetative development in cherry trees cv. Santina.
Table 9. Evaluation of available soil microelements from the Bioamino-L® treatment at the beginning of spring and early autumn in a trial using Bioaminol-L® as a complement to vegetative development in cherry trees cv. Santina.
Table 10. Evaluation of texture, granulometry, apparent D. and real D. of soil from the control treatment at the beginning of spring and early autumn in a trial using Bioamino-L® as a complement to vegetative development in cherry trees cv. Santina.
Table 11. Evaluation of texture, granulometry, apparent D. and real D. of soil after Bioaminol-L® treatment at the beginning of spring and early autumn in a trial using Bioamino-L® as a complement to vegetative development in cherry trees cv. Santina.
Table 12. Evaluation of soil moisture retention and pore space of the control treatment at the beginning of spring and early autumn in a trial using Bioamino-L® as a complement to vegetative development in cherry trees cv. Santina.
Table 13. Evaluation of soil moisture retention and pore space of the Bioamino-L® treatment in early spring and early autumn in a trial using Bioamino-L® as a complement to vegetative development in cherry trees cv. Santina.
4.1.3 Production.
In the 10 replicates per treatment, the trunk diameter was recorded at 20 cm above the rootstock/variety union to calculate the trunk cross-sectional area (ASTT in cm2). In addition, all the fruits on the plant were counted prior to harvest to show fruit load. The measurement responds to load density (fruits ASTT-1) as a way of specific comparison between treatments with respect to load (Table 14). As for the production comparison, the specific load (kg ASTT-1) was calculated for each treatment by recording the average fruit weight.
The specific production for each experimental unit (kg plant-1) and the production per unit of surface (kg ha-1) were also calculated and analyzed.
Table 14. Evaluation of ASTT, stocking density, specific stocking, specific yield and yield per surface in a trial using Bioamino-L® as a complement to vegetative development in cherry trees cv. Santina.
4.1.4 Shoot growth curve.
Shoot length (cm) was measured for each treatment in each experimental unit. For this, one branch was selected for each unit (plant) to generate 50 repetitions for each treatment for shoot length (cm) measurements at the end of the season. (Table 15).
Table 15. Shoot length (cm.) for each treatment in the trial using Bioamino-L® as a complement to vegetative development in cherry trees cv. Santina.
4.1.5 Equatorial diameter and fruit weight.
250 fruits were collected per treatment to measure equatorial diameter in mm and fruit weight in g (Table 16; Fig. 2).
Diameter measurements were made with a digital measuring tape and the fruit unit weight with a low-scale scale.
Table 16. Diameter (mm.) and weight (g.) of fruits for each treatment in the trial using Bioamino-L® as a complement to vegetative development in cherry trees cv. Santina.
Figure 2. Graph of diameter (mm.) and weight (g.) of fruits for each treatment in the trial using Bioaminol-L® as a complement to vegetative development in cherry trees cv. Santina.
4.1.6 Caliber distribution.
Five replicates of 50 fruits each were used for each treatment for size segregation according to commercial packaging categories of Chilean cherries (Table 17).
Table 17. Distribution of Chilean cherry packing sizes for testing the use of Bioamino-L® as a complement to vegetative development in Santina cherry trees.
The result of the segregation according to caliber category was taken to percentage (%) of participation and compared between each treatment for each category separately (Table 18; Fig. 3).
Table 18. Segregation of size in % of fruits in each category for each treatment in a trial using Bioamino-L® as a complement to vegetative development in cherry trees cv. Santina.
Figure 3. Segregation graph of caliber in % of fruits in each treatment in the trial using Bioamino-L® as a complement to vegetative development in cherry trees cv. Santina.
4.1.7 Penetration resistance (Durofel).
At harvest, the resistance to penetration was measured using the Durofel method as an indirect measure of fruit firmness. Five repetitions were used per treatment. The repetitions consist of a Durofel value calculated internally by the instrument from a total of 20 fruits (Table 19).
These measurements were carried out in Avium's post-harvest laboratory, using the method commercially used for receiving fruit at the packing plant.
Table 19. Pulp penetration resistance measured as Durofel in a test using Bioamino-L® as a complement to vegetative development in cherry trees cv. Santina.
4.1.8 Sugar content of fruits (soluble solids – SS).
At harvest, soluble solids (SS) of fruits were measured as a direct measurement of the internal sugar content in ºBrix with the help of a manual analog refractometer.
20 replicates were used per treatment. Replicates consist of one measurement per fruit (Table 20).
Table 20. Sugar content measured as soluble solids (ºBrix) for each treatment in the trial using Bioamino-L® as a complement to vegetative development in cherry trees cv. Santina.
4.1.9 Nutritional content and dry matter of fruits.
At harvest, nutritional analyses and percentage of dry matter in fruits were performed for each treatment (Table 21, 22 and 23).
5 repetitions were used per treatment composed of 500 g of fruit for each repetition.
The analyses were outsourced to the Agrolab Laboratory based on its own sampling protocol.
Table 21. Nutritional content of fruits (mg./100g.) for each treatment in the trial using Bioamino-L® as a complement to vegetative development in cherry trees cv. Santina.
Table 22. Nutritional content of fruits (mg./100g.) for each treatment in the trial using Bioamino-L® as a complement to vegetative development in cherry trees cv. Santina.
Table 23. Measurement of dry matter percentage (%) in a test using Bioamino-L® as a complement to vegetative development in cherry trees cv. Santina.
4.1.10 Distribution of fruit color intensity at harvest.
As an objective measure of the gain in coverage color intensity as the most important index in harvest, the percentage (%) of fruit participation in each color category was measured and recorded.
The harvest was carried out in one go by extracting 100% from the fruits of the tree at a time of commercial harvest of the orchard. With this, the color analysis of coverage intensity was carried out according to the Ctifl color table (Fig. 4).
Five replicates consisting of 50 fruits each for each treatment were used to categorize each color (Table 24; Fig. 5).
Table 24. Category analysis in percentage (%) of color intensity in a trial using Bioamino-L® as a complement to vegetative development in cherry trees cv. Santina.
Figure 5. Percentage category graph (%) of fruit intensity color for each treatment in the trial using Bioamino-L® as a complement to vegetative development in cherry trees cv. Santina.
