MediaRelease
1 October 2014
Refining Sitofex use for premium quality table grapes
AUSTRALIAN table grape growers are refining their use of plantgrowth regulators to precision-manage delivery of quality fruit to
exacting market demands.
Sitofex is one plant-growth hormone playing an increasing role in
producing bigger, full and sweet berries – plus increased berry and
bunch durability both on the vine and post-harvest.
The first forchlorfenuron product to be trialled and registered
for table grapes in Australia, Sitofex mimics plant cytokinins,
stimulating cell division and elongation of berries, and favourably
affecting the growth of the whole bunch.
Agronomist for Costa Group’s table grape category Michael Ficarra
has been involved with trialling, developing and fine-tuning the use
of Sitofex in table grapes since its introduction to Australia more
than 10 years ago.
Overseeing more than 400 hectares of the company’s table-grape
plantings, and providing agronomic advice to contract suppliers
throughout Australia’s major growing regions, Mr Ficarra includes
Sitofex in plant-growth regulation programs to manage fruit sizing
and quality, and to retain premium fruit quality on the vine to allow
for a staggered harvest.
A SPREAD of production areas from Australia’s earliest to latest growing
regions allows Costa Grapes to maximise their period of supply of
consistent quality red, white and black table grapes. The majority of
early season supply is focused into domestic chain store and wholesale
markets. The focus then shifts to export markets in more than 20
countries, mainly in Asia and the Middle East.
The majority (300 hectares) of the company’s table grapes are in the
northern growing region – Costa Grapes at Mundubbera, and Western
Queensland Grapes at St George in Queensland – with a third production
unit Darling River Grapes at Menindee NSW. These are supplemented
by independent suppliers around Emerald in Queensland, Sunraysia in
Victoria, and Carnarvon in WA.
Costa grows and supplies several Sun World trademarked varieties
including Superior Seedless (Sugraone), Sable Seedless, Autumn Crisp,
Adora Seedless, Scarlotta Seedless and Midnight Beauty, as well as
commercial varieties Flame Seedless, Red Globe, Crimson Seedless and
Autumn Royal.
The company uses the northern properties to capitalise on early-season
production with the red variety Flame Seedless; white variety Sugraone;
and black varieties Midnight Beauty and Sable Seedless
The southern areas also produce Flame Seedless, Sugraone and Midnight
Beauty, plus later varieties Scarlotta Seedless, Autumn Crisp and Adora
Seedless.
Mr Ficarra said the table grape industry was very retail-driven, with
the market pushing for premium, larger berry size and appealing,
flavourful, sweet fruit.
“Our flagship Vi-Vita brand of select, premium quality black, white
and red table grapes are all picked when sugar levels reach
maximum brix/sweetness, but this needs to be coupled with the
largest berries and freshest green stems.
Costa Grapes agronomist Michael Ficarra (right) with Costa’s
Darling River Grapes manager Richard Unsworth, Menindee, NSW.
“Consistent supply of premium quality grapes requires
precision agronomic inputs, and plant growth hormones
are an important part of that.”
He said because table grapes were very delicate,
the majority of crop manipulation and harvest is still
done by hand – even on larger-scale operations like
Costa’s.
“It takes a long time to get around our large farms
to hand harvest all the blocks. It can take four to
six weeks to harvest a crop. To manage both a
large picking workforce and the flow of fruit to
market, we need to stagger the availability of
harvest-ready fruit.
“Sitofex is one of the key hormones we use to
tweak the readiness of fruit in different blocks.
“We have fine-tuned our use of Sitofex, now
applying very small amounts (0.5 - 1ppm),
and using it in different ways at different crop
stages.
“At the fruit-sizing phase we use Sitofex to
produce bigger, heavier, firmer, premium
quality fruit. We also use Sitofex to hold
fruit firm on the vine for longer, allowing a
block to be harvested later.
“The improvements we have seen
through the use of Sitofex have
been increased overall yield through
increased berry size and berry weight,
plus harvest management.
“Larger, heavier fruit mean higher
Crop Care Australasia Pty Ltd | ABN 53 061 362 347
Portal North – Unit 17/16 Metroplex Avenue Murarrie QLD 4172 | PO Box 84 Morningside QLD 4170
P 07 3909 2000 | F 07 3909 2010 | W www.cropcare.com.au
MediaRelease
1 October 2014
Sitofex time of use
On Costa’s Queensland properties, Sitofex is mostly
used at berry-sizing (8-10mm) stage around October, with
harvest occurring from late November to December to
meet the pre-Christmas market.
On southern farms, Sitofex is used for fruit sizing in
November, with blocks harvested from January through to
April/May.
Mr Ficarra said it had taken the Australian table grape
industry many years to learn how to get the most value
from Sitofex.
“When it first introduced it was seen as a ‘silver bullet’ and
was not used wisely or with precision – producing fruit that
were too big and with reduced market appeal.
Midnight Beauty grapes supplied to Costa Grapes from the Sunraysia
production area in 2013-14, treated with 1ppm of Sitofex.
“Now we and our partner growers are using it very
conservatively but to great advantage.”
yields per hectare. Berries that are 1-2mm larger can mean a
10-20% increase in yield. Just a miniscule amount of Sitofex can
produce a profitable result.”
PGR program on Costa farms
Sitofex is just one part of a plant-growth hormone program used
across a season on Costa farms. The agronomic program is likely
to include:
•Dormex – particularly in the northern region to trigger budburst
at the start of the season. With the constant warm winter
weather and no natural trigger (Frost & Chill Units), Costa
Grapes uses Dormex to replicate natural conditions for
consistent budburst.
•GA - at flowering for pollination interruption, to trigger berry
thinning. The target is a large, loose and open cluster.
•GA & Sitofex - at berry formation and fruit sizing, for improved
fruit integrity, consistent larger fruit size and increased bunch
weight.
•Ethephon - at maturity, to trigger ripening, better colour, and
sugar content.
Premium 20mm Midnight Beauty berries at packout under the
company’s premium Vi-Vita label.
GA and Sitofex are used at berry formation and fruit
sizing for improved fruit integrity, consistent larger
fruit size and increased bunch weight.
Crop Care comment
Crop Care technical representative Paul
Geister, based at Irymple in Victoria, said
export of premium quality fruit to southeast
Asia was a potentially important market for
Australian table grapes.
“With tastes similar to ours, Asian
consumers are attracted to the sweet,
ripe, seedless Australian berries with
their edible skins. However bunch
shattering has been an issue with
repackaging. Strategic use of Sitofex
is one tool that will help Australian
growers to supply these premium
markets with consistent quality fruit.
Crop Care Australasia Pty Ltd | ABN 53 061 362 347
Portal North – Unit 17/16 Metroplex Avenue Murarrie QLD 4172 | PO Box 84 Morningside QLD 4170
P 07 3909 2000 | F 07 3909 2010 | W www.cropcare.com.au
MediaRelease
1 October 2014
“Australian and overseas experience has shown Sitofex can
lead to bigger and more regular-sized full berries; more resistant
berry skin; less berry drop and rotting; thicker and more vigorous
peduncle and calyx; less bunch shatter; and longer bunch
durability in the field and post-harvest. Used with precision,
original varietal characteristics are also preserved in Sitofextreated grapes, including berry and bunch shape, colour, sugar
content and pH.
“As shown on Costa farms, the focus needs to be on precision of
timing and rates, so fruit maturity matches each grower’s market
niche.”
Mr Geister said the southern season was well set up, with a very
mild winter finished off by a spate of frosts just prior to budburst.
“Budburst was particularly even in blocks where Dormex had been
applied in July and early August. This has set the crop up for more
accurate and precisely-timed applications of GAs and Sitofex to
manage fruit size and quality, and harvest.”
Practical tips for desired market results from Sitofex
Use with a GA3
For the 2013-14 harvest at Costa Grape’s Menindee property
NSW, Sugraone grapes received a sizing treatment of 2ppm of
Sitofex.
•Bunch thinning is recommended. Optimum berry size is obtained when
Sitofex is used with a standard GA3 (gibberellic acid) program that
stimulates flower abscission and reduces the numbers of berries being
set.
Adjust vine nutrition and water to match higher yield
•Using Sitofex and increasing crop yield increases the productive
requirements of the crop, so adjust nutrition and water accordingly. A
good result depends on healthy, well-nourished plants.
Application
•The product does not translocate in the plant, so needs to evenly
moisten all fruit and bunches with fine droplets (100-200µm).
•Apply in the cooler periods of the day. Don’t apply if rain is predicted
within 6 hours of application.
•Don’t tank-mix with other agricultural chemicals. Sitofex is not
compatible with insecticides, fungicides, herbicides, surfactants or other
adjuvants.
•However Sitofex can be tank-mixed with gibberellic acid.
Sitofex treated grapes (right) vs control in earlier
trials.
For more information:
Paul Geister Territory Sales Manager
M 0438 382 672 | E [email protected]
Crop Care Australasia Pty Ltd | ABN 53 061 362 347
Portal North – Unit 17/16 Metroplex Avenue Murarrie QLD 4172 | PO Box 84 Morningside QLD 4170
P 07 3909 2000 | F 07 3909 2010 | W www.cropcare.com.au