Experiments with light reflecting groundcovers and Lumilys® textile in apple production Michael Zoth Ertragsphysiologie Stiftung KOB Bavendorf Schuhmacherhof 6, D-88213 Ravensburg http://www.obstbau-kompetenzzentrum.de Beaulieu Technical Textiles - Comines-Warneton, Belgium M. Zoth, Stiftung KOB Ravensburg, Germany Stiftung KOB Bavendorf Schuhmacherhof 6, D-88213 Ravensburg Germany Beaulieu Technical Textiles - Comines-Warneton, Belgium M. Zoth, Stiftung KOB Ravensburg, Germany Z Production area ~ 8 000 ha (Year 2015) Z 1 500 farmers, ~ 750 (full-time farmers) Z Apple production/year ~ 250.000 – 300.000 t Z 10% of apples are from organic production Z ~ 50% of the cultivars are covered by hail nets Beaulieu Technical Textiles - Comines-Warneton, Belgium M. Zoth, Stiftung KOB Ravensburg, Germany # # # !" Beaulieu Technical Textiles - Comines-Warneton, Belgium M. Zoth, Stiftung KOB Ravensburg, Germany Mode of practice „Interface“ Öko Advisory Service 2 Dt. Genbank Obst Meetings Research stations CoO-Teams 4 Weinsberg/LTZ Grünberg Esteburg EUFRIN Working groups Ahrweiler ACW Wädenswil (CH) COST etc. Laimburg (I) Haidegg (A) div. Projects ÜgPsB 4,5 etc. KOB Universities Appl.Sciences County Fruit house/Store Ware Weihenstephan Students Uni HOH Advisors 4,5 Erfurt Geisenheim Intern. visitors Brandenburg etc. Trainees (6-8) Universities Scient. Project partners Hohenheim Guest researcher TUM WEGA-Network Privat Fruit Advisors 5 UEB Prag Brazil (2) Fruit farmers/ Fruit National/International research National/International Industry/Commerce Beaulieu Technical Textiles - Comines-Warneton, Belgium M. Zoth, Stiftung KOB Ravensburg, Germany M M ! " # $ % &' & &&# ( Beaulieu Technical Textiles - Comines-Warneton, Belgium M. Zoth, Stiftung KOB Ravensburg, Germany *+ & , -. / 01 2 / 3. (4 516 2 31 6 311 -11 !,# 738 &/2 -9 && : -11 ;& ; < = 2 - 2 > (2 31 2 - ' : 2 9 ' 2 >1 & ! + & " Beaulieu Technical Textiles - Comines-Warneton, Belgium M. Zoth, Stiftung KOB Ravensburg, Germany Research Station KOB Bavendorf Beaulieu Technical Textiles - Comines-Warneton, Belgium M. Zoth, Stiftung KOB Ravensburg, Germany Improving fruit colouration Z Apple cultivars are sometimes endangered to develop low colouration: high temperatures, shaded position, covered with leafs, dark hailnet, … Z Cultivars: Elstar, Fuji, Kanzi, Pinova, Sweetango Z Measures: Summer pruning Growth control using PGR‘s Prohexadione-Ca [Regalis, Kudos] Biostimulants, Fertilizers Light reflecting ground covers Defoliation Beaulieu Technical Textiles - Comines-Warneton, Belgium M. Zoth, Stiftung KOB Ravensburg, Germany Improving fruit colouration Z Effects: - lighter canopy - better light distribution - light / radiation reaches the fruit - maximum light exposition of the fruit surface Z => induces anthocyanin synthesis => improves brighter and intensive colouration Beaulieu Technical Textiles - Comines-Warneton, Belgium M. Zoth, Stiftung KOB Ravensburg, Germany Light reflection trial 2012 - A Simple Test-trial with ‚no-name‘ reflecting textile - Apple ‚Kanzi‘ – colour sensitive variety - High trained trees (3,40m) under crystal hailnet Beaulieu Technical Textiles - Comines-Warneton, Belgium M. Zoth, Stiftung KOB Ravensburg, Germany Light reflection trial 2012 - A Simple Test-trial with ‚no-name‘ reflecting textile Beaulieu Technical Textiles - Comines-Warneton, Belgium M. Zoth, Stiftung KOB Ravensburg, Germany White ground cover – 14d before harvest Beaulieu Technical Textiles - Comines-Warneton, Belgium M. Zoth, Stiftung KOB Ravensburg, Germany White ground cover – harvest time Beaulieu Technical Textiles - Comines-Warneton, Belgium M. Zoth, Stiftung KOB Ravensburg, Germany After take-out - lanes Beaulieu Technical Textiles - Comines-Warneton, Belgium M. Zoth, Stiftung KOB Ravensburg, Germany Results Kanzi ground cover 2012 Z No statistical difference in yield per tree Z Unfortunately different number fruits per tree. Beaulieu Technical Textiles - Comines-Warneton, Belgium M. Zoth, Stiftung KOB Ravensburg, Germany Results Kanzi ground cover 2012 Z Slightly smaller fruits with reflexion cover Z No statistical differences Beaulieu Technical Textiles - Comines-Warneton, Belgium M. Zoth, Stiftung KOB Ravensburg, Germany Results Kanzi ground cover 2012 Z Better skin colour with reflexion textile Z Statisticaly proofed Beaulieu Technical Textiles - Comines-Warneton, Belgium M. Zoth, Stiftung KOB Ravensburg, Germany Colouration 2012 Z Number of intensivly red coloured fruits increased Beaulieu Technical Textiles - Comines-Warneton, Belgium M. Zoth, Stiftung KOB Ravensburg, Germany Results Kanzi ground cover 2012 Z Ratio of intensivly coloured fruits was much better with ground cover Beaulieu Technical Textiles - Comines-Warneton, Belgium M. Zoth, Stiftung KOB Ravensburg, Germany Results Kanzi ground cover 2012 Z Slight difference in ‚good for sale fruits‘ Z No statistical differences Beaulieu Technical Textiles - Comines-Warneton, Belgium M. Zoth, Stiftung KOB Ravensburg, Germany Results Kanzi ground cover 2012 Z Clear financial advantage with reflexion ground cover Beaulieu Technical Textiles - Comines-Warneton, Belgium M. Zoth, Stiftung KOB Ravensburg, Germany Kanzi ground cover 2012 Z Effects: - no higher yield - better red colouration - increased no. of very good coloured fruits - slightly higher ratio of ‚good for sale‘ fruits - no higher ratio of Extra + HKl 1 fruits Z => Clearly higher calculated financial benefits Beaulieu Technical Textiles - Comines-Warneton, Belgium M. Zoth, Stiftung KOB Ravensburg, Germany Light reflection trial 2012 Trial B with ‚no-name‘ reflecting textile - Apple ‚Pinova‘ standard – colour sensitive variety - Mechanical vs. Winter pruning; partly hailnet Beaulieu Technical Textiles - Comines-Warneton, Belgium M. Zoth, Stiftung KOB Ravensburg, Germany White ground cover – 14d before harvest Beaulieu Technical Textiles - Comines-Warneton, Belgium M. Zoth, Stiftung KOB Ravensburg, Germany White ground cover – harvest time Beaulieu Technical Textiles - Comines-Warneton, Belgium M. Zoth, Stiftung KOB Ravensburg, Germany Pinova ground cover 2012 Z MACHINE: No big difference in yield per tree Z Unfortunately hight number fruits per tree. Beaulieu Technical Textiles - Comines-Warneton, Belgium M. Zoth, Stiftung KOB Ravensburg, Germany Pinova ground cover 2012 Z Visible smaller fruits with reflexion cover Z Clear statistical differences Beaulieu Technical Textiles - Comines-Warneton, Belgium M. Zoth, Stiftung KOB Ravensburg, Germany Pinova ground cover 2012 Z Better skin colour with reflexion textile Z Statisticaly proofed Beaulieu Technical Textiles - Comines-Warneton, Belgium M. Zoth, Stiftung KOB Ravensburg, Germany Pinova ground cover 2012 Z Ratio of intensivly coloured fruits was much better with ground cover Beaulieu Technical Textiles - Comines-Warneton, Belgium M. Zoth, Stiftung KOB Ravensburg, Germany Pinova ground cover 2012 Z Slight disadvantage in ‚extra class‘ fruits [smaller fruits] Z No statistical differences Beaulieu Technical Textiles - Comines-Warneton, Belgium M. Zoth, Stiftung KOB Ravensburg, Germany Pinova ground cover 2012 Z Slight financial advantage with reflexion ground cover [Because of smaller fruitsize?] Beaulieu Technical Textiles - Comines-Warneton, Belgium M. Zoth, Stiftung KOB Ravensburg, Germany Pinova ground cover 2012 Z Effects: - no higher yield - better red colouration - increased no. of very good coloured fruits - no higher ratio of Extra + HKl 1 fruits => Slightly higher calculated financial benefits Beaulieu Technical Textiles - Comines-Warneton, Belgium M. Zoth, Stiftung KOB Ravensburg, Germany Light reflection trial 2013 Trial with LUMILYS® – Variety Kanzi - Apple Kanzi – under crystal hailnet, 3,40 m hight - Ground cover, PAR-measurements Beaulieu Technical Textiles - Comines-Warneton, Belgium M. Zoth, Stiftung KOB Ravensburg, Germany Lumilys® ground cover – 14d before harvest Beaulieu Technical Textiles - Comines-Warneton, Belgium M. Zoth, Stiftung KOB Ravensburg, Germany Lumilys® ground cover – harvest time Beaulieu Technical Textiles - Comines-Warneton, Belgium M. Zoth, Stiftung KOB Ravensburg, Germany Lumilys® ground cover – Kanzi Z No difference in yield per tree Z Same amount of fruits per tree Beaulieu Technical Textiles - Comines-Warneton, Belgium M. Zoth, Stiftung KOB Ravensburg, Germany Lumilys® ground cover – Kanzi Z Almost the same fruitsize Z Unfortunately in general small fruits Beaulieu Technical Textiles - Comines-Warneton, Belgium M. Zoth, Stiftung KOB Ravensburg, Germany Weather conditions 2013 Z Low temperature during cell division period and summer Beaulieu Technical Textiles - Comines-Warneton, Belgium M. Zoth, Stiftung KOB Ravensburg, Germany Lumilys® ground cover – Kanzi Z Clearly better red skin colour Beaulieu Technical Textiles - Comines-Warneton, Belgium M. Zoth, Stiftung KOB Ravensburg, Germany Lumilys® ground cover – Kanzi Z Much more coloured Premium fruits Z Clearly higher ratio of Kanzi® quality Beaulieu Technical Textiles - Comines-Warneton, Belgium M. Zoth, Stiftung KOB Ravensburg, Germany Lumilys® ground cover – Kanzi Z No financial advantage using the ground cover Z The smaller fruit size 2013 might be the reason Beaulieu Technical Textiles - Comines-Warneton, Belgium M. Zoth, Stiftung KOB Ravensburg, Germany Lumilys® ground cover 2013 - Kanzi Z Effects: - no higher yield - better red colouration - higher