Ensuring tree health in orchards and groves from year to year takes time and planning. It takes year-round commitment, since the current year can determine the success of next year’s crop. Certain measures may help in improving tree health that can then translate into better outcomes for productivity.
Recently, Balchem conducted a three-year trial to measure long-term health, yield and quality of almond groves that utilize Metalosate programs. This trial gives the most recent evidence in a long history that demonstrates the effectiveness of Metalosate in promoting better long-term health . Through leaf samples it was evident that the trees became more balanced from year to year. Rather than using all the nutrient stores to produce nuts, trees could produce and store these nutrients for better balance over time. Researchers expected to see a larger crop with better quality as the trees became more balanced. This was demonstrated by nine percent greater nut set, about a nine percent greater nut retention, and seven percent more nut meat in those trees. Similar results have been seen in apples and cherries, showing that Metalosate provides more than just immediate results, but long-term benefits and returns.
The goal of almost every orchard can be summed up into harvest yields and quality. However, the work does not end when the fruit comes off the tree. Maximizing plant nutrition post-harvest assists in ensuring deciduous tree health from season to season. Metalosate Tropical is often used for its properties as a plant regulator, since the nutrients it provides can effectively support plants transition from one stage of growth to another. In trees, this can enable disease suppression and encourage plants to enter dormancy uniformly, as part of their normal physiological process. This allows the tree to accumulate starch, protein and mineral reserves. Then when the plant comes out of dormancy, it has these vital resources to support proper growth. That’s Nutrition Delivered.
For more information about improving tree health and other research trials visit the research section of our website or contact a Balchem representative.
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