Sun World Fruit Alliance News August 2007

Fresh News From Sun World, December 2007

...for grower-marketer members of the Sun World Fruit Alliance

FEATURES

Table Grape Breeding Program 2007 Highlights

-Michael Striem, Sun World Table Grape Breeder
Along with our traditional commercial varieties which we have been evaluating for some time now, we evaluated many new selections this year. The following 2007 review highlights some of the more exciting new varieties in the table grape breeding program and includes links to some of the fruit trial reports when the varieties were viewed.

In the early season we looked at an exciting new red variety, ‘01016-126-057’ (Jun27, July 11), which ripens well before Flame Seedless with a mild muscat flavor. Additionally, 057 is spur-productive and was very promising even with natural (untreated) clusters from 2^nd leaf vines. We also viewed several early black selections with characteristic SABLE SEEDLESS® type flavor, which had naturally loose clusters and berry size larger than Sugrasixteen. Of course Sugrathirteen (MIDNIGHT BEAUTY® brand) (Jun 6, Jul 11) continued to impress with its outstanding production, berry size and quality.

In the mid season we looked several times at Sugrathirtytwo (Jun 27, July 18), a promising red grape that colors better than Flame.

In the late season, the white grape, ‘00061-153-466’ (Sept 25) impressed many with its uniform attractive SUPERIOR SEEDLESS® type finish, and strong yield potential. The new late muscat ‘04123-213-333’ (Aug 29, Sept 11), a SOPHIA SEEDLESS® type, was evaluated several times with many of us, and visitors as well, optimistic about its potential. In the fall season, the late MIDNIGHT BEAUTY® type, ‘99112-131-550’ (Sep 25, Oct 10), was encouraging with its unusually large natural berry size, nice loose clusters, and undetectable seed trace. Fruit trial attendees this year commented on the exceptional performance of the late season Sugranineteen (SCARLOTTA SEEDLESS® brand) (Sept 11, Sept 25, Oct 10).

With the sudden departure of Guy McGhie to manage Sun World's Arvin ranches our product development efforts did not slow down. We are very thankful to David Fenn, Senior VP/Quality Assurance, as well as our seasonal interns, who helped tremendously with getting the job done.

The Selection Block will be almost at full capacity this year with additional 45 selections and we will be installing a modified gable system to the second half of the block this year as part of our two-year upgrade program.

The grape breeding program is making nice and steady steps of improvements with an abundance of new selections. Quality is on the rise along with larger natural berry size and smaller seed traces in the core population, with fine cluster structure and excellent berry qualifications.

2007 Grape Internship Review-Piet Brand

Over the years Sun World Research and Development Center has hosted interns from various countries to work alongside Sun World fruit breeders, field managers and our Cultivar Development Specialist. Sun World R&D annually hosts two interns, one for the Table Grape Program and one for the Stone Fruit Program.

Piet Brand was chosen for this year’s Table Grape Internship. Piet is a vineyard manager for Table Grape Growers of Australia (Pty) Ltd who’s farm in Kenley on Murray is currently growing six Sun World grape cultivars. He arrived for the start of his internship soon after Guy McGhie, who was to be his supervisor, changed positions at Sun World to become manager of Sun World ranches in the Arvin area. But Piet, the consummate professional, hit the ground running, taking on added responsibilities in the collection and organization of data from the many field trials being conducted in commercial vineyards on Sugrathirteen (MIDNIGHT BEAUTY®), Sugrasixteen (SABLE SEEDLESS®), and Sugranineteen (SCARLOTTA SEEDLESS®). “The trials are very important to us.” remarked McGhie, “They help us and our licensees all over the world to better understand these varieties and to be able to get the best production and quality from them”. Piet’s background in vineyard management and his straightforward approach to problems proved the perfect combination to help fill McGhie's shoes, and as a result, all trials went on without a hitch.

Piet was able to see the sights of California during his stay here, travelling to Los Angeles, San Francisco and the Coachella Valley. “We enjoyed Piet”, noted Michael Striem, Table Grape Breeder, “he is a hard worker, knowledgeable, and he is lot of fun; and he obviously loves his family”.

Deadline Approaching to Apply for Sun World's 2008 Research Internships

IMPORTANT: The Deadline to apply for a 2008 Sun World Internship is December 20^th.

Internship positions are limited to persons associated with Sun World marketer, nursery and grower licensees and applicants must be referred by a qualified Sun World licensee. Interns gain first-hand experience working with Sun World grape and stone fruit breeding programs, commercial testing programs, embryo rescue lab, commercial production managers, and quality assurance personnel.

Click on the link below for more information about the stone fruit and the table grape internships.

Sun World Internship Program Information

Sun World Again Hosts Marketer Licensee Dinner at Fruit Logistica

After a successful marketer dinner and meetings with UK retailers during the 2007 Fruit Logistica convention, Sun World will again host a dinner for its marketer licensees in attendance at the 2008 Fruit Logistica in Berlin, Germany. The now annual dinner is scheduled for Thursday, February 7, 2008 at 8:00 pm at Altes Zollhaus. Details for the dinner, as well as planned meetings with UK retailers, will follow.

Sun World Grape Expo: Save the Date July 29-30, 2008 in Bakersfield, California

Group shot from the 2003 Grape Expo

All licensed grape producers are invited to attend Sun World’s second “Grape Expo” to be held July 29-30 in Bakersfield, California. Visit Sun World’s commercial table grape operations and see early-mid-season harvesting of Sugraone, Sugrathirteen and Sugrasixteen as well as the newest selections from the Company’s varietal development program. Full program details to follow next month, or inquire with your local Sun World licensing manager.

Stone Fruit Breeding Program 2007 Highlights,
1: Low Chill Program

-Terry Bacon, Sun World Stone Fruit Breeder

We are presenting 2007 stone fruit breeding program highlights in three parts, 1. Low Chill Program; 2. Early-Season Varieties; and 3. Mid and Late-Season Varieties. Each variety mentioned is linked to a 2007 fruit trial so that you can view more information and evaluations of the variety. These updates will not mention all the varieties in the program but some of the program's 2007 season highlights.

Low Chill Conditions

Cool spring temperatures delayed bloom for most of the low chill peaches, nectarines and plums in the Coachella Valley and warm post-bloom temperatures caused fruit development (days from full bloom to ripe) to be unusually short so that sizes were somewhat small this year.

Low Chill Peaches:

We were pleased with Supechfifteen (Apr 11) performance again in the Coachella Valley. It continues with good production of large-sized fruit each year and buyer demand remains high for fresh peaches at a time when post harvest quality of imported late-season peaches from the southern hemisphere is breaking down.

In the Pipeline, PE497 (Apr 26) is an interesting new low-acid low chill peach that is now going into commercial test. Harvest of PE497 starts about with Supechfifteen and it has a bright full blush and a clean-sweet flavor (13 brix) unusual for early April. Additionally, it's non-melting flesh type improves handling because it softens relatively slowly post harvest.

Low Chill Nectarines:

Sun World has a new commercial trial of low chill nectarines in the Coachella Valley and 2007 was the first commercial harvest of the 3^rd-leaf trees. NE209 (Apr 11) bloomed unusually late and fruit development period was only 52 days. Sizes were marginal this year but we will get a better look in 2008. Sunectwentyone (Apr 26) in the commercial trial performed very well although it too bloomed late and ripened too quickly. We thinned to about 250 fruit/tree on 3^rd leaf trees and size peaked on 60’s and 70’s (64-66mm) with outstanding color and firmness that is very unusual for low chill nectarines. We believe that Sunectwentyone has very good potential for regions with relatively low chill accumulation and for early-season areas.

In the Pipeline, NE333 (Apr 11) was a surprising hit this year although it has performed well each year since it was selected in 2004. NE333 is part of a nectarine project at Sun World to develop varieties that have a naturally clean finish with fewer thrips sprays. It also has a nice balanced flavor with 13 brix. NE333 will be put into commercial test.

Low Chill Plums:

Suplumtwentyfive (Jun 6) from the low chill Coachella Valley site was not included in a fruit trial this year but we looked at samples from the Bakersfield area. It is a consistent low chill variety that will have thrips scars if not sprayed, but it has the desirable characteristic of being able to hang on the tree firm so that a grower can pick once-over.

In the Pipeline, PL525RB (May 9) is a surprising new red-fleshed black plum, selected in 2005, that stands out from the pack with consistent heavy production, relatively good size, and relatively good firmness and flavor for an early-season low chill plum. PL525RB is part of a special plum project at Sun World to develop ‘durable’ black and red plums with naturally clean finish. We are also testing it in Bakersfield, where it may perform even better and will mature in the Pioneer/Red Beaut window. Also in the Pipeline at Sun World, PL506YR (May 29) may develop into an outstanding yellow-fleshed red plum that can be grown in low chill regions and early medium-chill regions. This year fruit trial attendees only evaluated samples from 2^nd leaf trees in Bakersfield, not in our low chill Coachella Valley site. However, PL506YR holds a great deal of promise as a plum that can start before Red Beaut/Pioneer with superior size, firmness and 17 brix. We are looking forward to evaluating this new plum over the next few years.

2007 Stone Fruit Internship Review-Petri van der Merwe

This year Sun World was very fortunate to have Petri van der Merwe working in our Stone Fruit Internship Program. Petri, a Senior Account Manager with Capespan Exports (Pty) Ltd in South Africa, brought with him a wealth of experience in stone fruit and table grape variety evaluation, post harvest protocol and export requirements. “At the beginning we asked Petri to evaluate post harvest and storage potential protocols in our stone fruit commercial testing program.” noted Terry Bacon, Stone Fruit Breeder. “By the time his internship ended though, Petri had completely redesigned our protocols! But that’s what makes a perfect internship; he goes home with a wealth of experience, and he leaves behind a wealth of experience-it was a win-win”. Petri worked with the Table Grape Program this year as well, taking data on a rootstock trial in the Coachella Valley.

Petri also experienced some of the natural wonders of California while he was here, especially with the camping/hiking adventure in Yosemite National Park he had with Bacon and several others. “I’m sure neither of us will forget the hike to Half-Dome,” said Bacon

Bacon noted that Petri was a great ambassador for Capespan and for South Africa. “He was professional, he worked hard the entire time, and we enjoyed his company as well. He is a good family man and you can’t be around him for long without hearing stories about his wife and kids”.

Juanita Gaglio Appointed Marketing Director

In response to sales growth and continued expansion from the launch of new proprietary products, Sun World recently named Juanita Gaglio its director of marketing. She is responsible for promoting and stimulating awareness of Sun World’s product line through a multitude of activities including public relations, trade shows, advertising, and retail merchandising and category management programs.

Gaglio, who previously worked in U.S. and international marketing management roles for Naturipe Farms LLC, the Chilean Fresh Fruit Association and Florida Department of Citrus, brings more than 20 years of produce marketing experience to the position. She reports to Senior Vice President of Sales & Marketing Mike Aiton and will be supporting the needs of the Company’s retail clients, growers and licensees.