October 2020 - 13

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Calcium eases the Honeycrisp headache
" I just love seeing fruit in the box at harvest, "
says Jill Tonne, a Simplot Grower Solutions
orchard consultant in Ephrata, Washington.
" 2020 has been a hard year in so many ways
but despite all that, the predictions are good
and the market is looking stronger. "
Indeed, when the Washington State Tree Fruit
Association (WSTFA) released its forecast
for the 2020 apple crop, growers heaved a
collective sigh of relief in knowing that strong
consumer demand would be met with an
ample and high-quality harvest - 134 million
standard 40-pound boxes, almost identical to
2019's 133.9 million box crop.
" Growers haven't had an easy year, " notes Jill,
who's been providing advice and consultation
to Washington's apple growers for more
than 15 years. " Budgets are top of mind and
that's required a rethink of programs and
approaches. "
Washington's orchards produce six in every ten
apples consumed in the United States. Gala
will account for around a quarter of this year's
crop, ahead of Red Delicious and Fuji. But
it's the runaway demand for Honeycrisp that
creates headaches for Jill's clients.
Spectacularly popular amongst consumers,
the Honeycrisp isn't viewed with the same
enthusiasm by those who grow it. The fabulous
crunch - and mouth-filling flavor - that draws
consumers into paying premium prices for the
apple is its sole redeeming feature, for it's not a
variety that can be described as 'easycare'.
" It 's technically needy, " explains Jill, " and
a variety that typically presents the most
agronomic difficulty for the grower in managing
energy, nutrients and physical attributes.
" Yes, it can be highly profitable. But only
through extreme attention to detail and
careful management of inputs. Growers
have to be on top of their game to produce
a consistent crop that delivers high pack-out
rates in the bin. "
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Typical Honeycrisp issues are its brittle wood,
which can result in snapped and broken
branches, and a propensity to crop too early.
It's also vigorous, requiring more training and
pruning than other varieties - not a helpful
trait in a year where labor shortages are top of
growers' minds.
" But for the fruit itself, one of its biggest
shortcomings is its
susceptibility to bitter
pit, " notes Jill. " Although
by no means the only
variety to suffer this
physiological condition
- caused by a lack of
calcium in the developing
fruit - Honeycrisp's
tendency to grow big can
exacerbate it. "
easy to see how large Honeycrisp apples can
be extra-vulnerable.
It's why Jill's issued a lot of recommendations
this year for a new product that effectively
'forces' calcium into plant cells. Cell Power®
Calcium Gold, from California-based nutrition
specialists OMEX®
known as 'LoCal'. It's a specially developed
'calcium transport stimulant' that mimics
the effect of auxin, achieving the hitherto
impossible: calcium uptake and transport in
the absence of auxin.
Jill Tonne
Growers are often dealt a double blow in
trying to avert bitter pit: foliar applications
of calcium chloride, the default preventative
treatment, often provide inconsistent results.
" It's inexpensive, so that defrays some of that
frustration, but not so the detrimental effects
it can have on fruit finish, particularly lenticels, "
points out Jill.
" Sometimes it's 'hot' on the tree too - growers
often see some leaf margin burn. "
Problems with calcium uptake aren't new. Plant
nutritionists have long known that calcium is
a 'problem' nutrient. Plants not only lack the
ability to store calcium, but also any ability
to mobilize it and move it around. What's
more, calcium is absorbed only when auxin,
an important plant hormone involved in cell
division, is present in sufficient quantity. It's
often this last point that causes problems in
resolving bitter pit.
Auxin is involved in cell division, thus new
cells and tissues, i.e. growing fruit, have
high levels. As a fruit matures, cell activity
switches to expansion and auxin levels drop
- as does its ability to absorb calcium. It's
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" It's rare to have this kind of new technology
in a nutritional product, " enthuses Jill, " so
it's received an enthusiastic welcome from
growers. By helping the plant to absorb
calcium where it's really needed, using a
process that already exists within the plant, we
also have a product that's soft on the fruit and
without any of the drawbacks associated with
standard foliar calcium treatments.
" Calcium Gold is a straight substitution for
foliar calcium, with applications every 5-7
days post-flowering. So, it's an easy switch
to make. Growers are reporting better fruit
finish, improved quality and longer storage
life, including firmer fruits for longer. Given
calcium's importance in cell wall structure, that
all makes sense.
" We've not yet done full side-by-side
comparisons but those blocks where we've
applied Calcium Gold have shown a noticeable
difference, with better and higher calcium
ratios confirmed through sap analysis and
fruit samples.
" Growers also tell me they're getting higher
pack-outs, which should translate into
improved margins. "
Learn more at www.omexusa.com.
The product names and brands referenced
here are registered and trademarks of OMEX®
Agrifluids, Inc. © OMEX®
Agrifluids, Inc. 2020.
Email omexusa@omex.com
FGN | OCTOBER 2020 | 13
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October 2020

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