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Report from
Australia/New Zealand |
-Terry Bacon, Stone Fruit
Breeder
My objectives during a recent trip to
Australia and New Zealand
in January was to visit with
growers, inspect new plantings,
and advise where I could
regarding the growth habits of
various Sun World cultivars. I was thoroughly
impressed to see the number of
new plantings of Sun World
cultivars as well as the quality
and diversity of those plantings. Sun World cultivars
are the ‘new kids on the block’
in Australia since we have only
recently begun establishing
licensed production and
marketing in that region.
Growers and marketers however
have been attracted to the
concept of managed plantings
and branded lines such as the
BLACK DIAMOND® series of
plums to help combat problematic
overproduction that has occurred
with many new uncontrolled
cultivars in recent years.
There are a remarkable
number of new varieties
coming out of
quarantine and plantings in different
regions. Since
the beginning of 2004, there
have been about 41,000 new plum
trees and over 50,000 new grape
vines planted by Sun World
licensees throughout Australia,
with smaller numbers of peaches,
nectarines, and apricots. In New
Zealand, Sun World nursery
licensee, John Morton has done a great job, with over 9000
plum trees planted since the
beginning of 2004.
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Suplumeleven in
Shepparton area |
Planting systems and
climates are quite different in
Australia compared to
California, and because of the
size of Australia, can be quite
different from one region to
another. It was interesting to
see Suplumeleven (BLACK DIAMOND
brand plums) in so many different
planting systems. In California
Suplumeleven is planted at a
relatively low density of 170
trees/acre (418 trees/ha) and
trees are trained in a ‘Vase’
shape with trees allowed to grow
12 feet (3 meters) in height.
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New Sun World plums in
Swan Hill area. |
In Australia it was common to
see a ‘V’-Trellis system planted
with 360-600 trees/acre
(889-1500 trees/ha), and with a
relative shortage of labor
there, growers have to be more
resourceful, often utilizing
mechanized platforms for
pruning, thinning, and harvest.
In one the more memorable
events during my trip
I was reminded of the
marvelous technological time in
which we live. In a barn in
Western Australia, in an area as
remote as I have ever been, I
was asked to give a presentation
to a group of interested
growers. Rowan Little of
Montegues produced a PowerPoint
projector, I pulled out my
laptop computer, and amongst the
tractors and welding machine, we
talked about Sun World
cultivars.
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First Chilean Commercial
Harvest of MIDNIGHT
BEAUTY® |
-
Andrew Mansour,
Regional Licensing
Manager
 On
a beautiful summer morning
in January a
select group, including
representatives from all
of Sun World's Chilean
grape licensees met at the
farm of Carolus Brown in
Los Andes, in central
Chile, to witness history
in the making. The first
Chilean commercial harvest
of Sugrathirteen, the
early black seedless grape
marketed by Sun World and
its licensees under the
brand MIDNIGHT BEAUTY, was
about to begin. Attendees
remarked that the timing
of the cultivar, which is
generally harvested
shortly after Flame and
Sugraone, fits an open
window perfectly. MIDNIGHT
BEAUTY grapes are
harvested nearly two weeks
earlier than the
'Chilean Black' variety.
Further, Sugrathirteen has
excellent post-harvest
characteristics.
The size of the
harvested berries and
clusters at the
Brown ranch were
impressive. Clusters were
large, around 700 grams.
Berries peaked at over 24
mm in diameter with berry
length often exceeding 32
mm. The sweet berries
registered around 18
degrees Brix.
Agricola Brown
Technicians Andres
Brito and Guillermo
Vasquez carefully managed
the Sugrathirteen canopy
under a pergola, or "parron"
training system, ensuring
that the vigorous
variety's growth was
controlled, achieving
maximum fruit set.
It was an auspicious
debut for an
outstanding new variety in
one of the prime growing
regions of the world.
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Suplumeleven harvest
maturity and cold
storage research in
South Africa |
-Johan Jooste, South
Africa General Manager,
Operations
Before a variety originating elsewhere in the world can be
planted commercially in South Africa, it must be carefully studied to
determine adaptability under local climatic conditions as well as if it
can withstand extended sea freight conditions required to get fruit into
European and Eastern markets.
Experico, a private research company specializing in post
harvest research, has completed two years of intense research to
determine cold storage potential as well as optimal harvest and
handling protocols for Sun World’s flagship
Suplumeleven
variety (BLACK DIAMOND® brand plum). Their studies found that Suplumeleven, if picked at a
specific maturity, can be successfully stored for 35 days. This means
that Suplumeleven can be sea freighted from South Africa to overseas
markets if done within the set parameters.
This is obvious good news for South African growers and
the trade in Northern Hemisphere countries to know that Suplumeleven can
be produced and landed in a fresh edible condition in foreign markets.
In test plantings of Suplumeleven in South Africa, the variety has
exhibited the fine characteristics that it has become known for in the
USA. Suplumeleven seems to be very productive and develops large fruit
with a dark red to black skin and bright red flesh when ripe.
Additionally, owing to the high sugar content and juiciness, eating
quality is outstanding.
Sun World’s representative in South Africa, Johan Jooste,
remarked, “I am optimistic that this variety will not only be popular in
the European markets, but will also pave the way for other Sun World
varieties in the BLACK DIAMOND series.”
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2005 Season and Field Trials
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The new season is upon us and Sun World Cultivar
Development Specialist, Guy McGhie reports on conditions thus far this
spring, and his planned experiments for the 2005 season in California:
Chilling units during winter were good in both the San
Joaquin and the Coachella Valleys, resulting in excellent bud break and
cluster counts for grape cultivars Sugraone (SUPERIOR SEEDLESS®) and
especially for Sugrathirteen (MIDNIGHT BEAUTY®) in Arvin where Sun World
manager, Ignacio Esparza is reporting counts as high as 100 plus
clusters per vine. In Coachella bloom sprays have been applied to the
grapes, and cluster counts are looking good there as well. The low chill
peaches, Supechthirteen and Supechfifteen (AMBER CREST® series), look
good in Coachella and harvest will begin March 23 and continue through
April 15, when we begin peach harvest in the San Joaquin Valley.
Stone fruit bloom was
generally 7-10 days earlier than normal in the central and
southern San Joaquin Valley, and was more compact than usual.
Frequent rains during bloom this spring will reduce plum and apricot set in
some areas with some cultivars, but the range and extent of the problem
is not known yet.
Table Grape trials for 2005
MIDNIGHT BEAUTY (Sugrathirteen): in 2004 the Coachella,
Bakersfield and Arvin ranches harvested up to 1300 cartons per acre
(30Tons/Ha). Their success was attributed largely to the deficit
irrigation practices used which resulted in good uniform clusters. This
will be repeated in 2005 along with small trials on vines fully
irrigated in which we will look at the impact on set and yield of
leaving more canes, heavy leafing, girdling before bloom, and bloom time
applications of CPPU.
SABLE SEEDLES® (Sugrasixteen): The object of 2005 trials
will be to determine the best management practices to produce slightly compact
bunches with berry size of 20mm. In the Bakersfield ranches, trials will
be run to determine the effect of no leafing until set, increased
Nitrogen fertilization, and the foliar application of low-burette urea
at bloom.
Sugranineteen, Sun World’s new late season red
grape: This season will see non-organic ranches, grafted in
2003, with 20-25 clusters /vine. Trials similar to the ones on
Sugrasixteen will be conducted to determine best practices for producing
slightly compact clusters with berry size of 23mm. Sun World is very
excited about this variety and as a result for 2005 have planted new
vineyards and grafted over some Crimson vineyards.
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