April 2023 - 25

AG TECH
Microclimate impact
Dugald Close, associate head
global at the Tasmanian Institute
of Agriculture, presented
information on self-ventilating
rain cover effects on orchard
microclimate, sweet cherry water
use and fruit quality.
His research determined the rain
coverings led to bigger, sweeter
fruit and more tree vigor. Less air
flow led to higher humidity and
covered fruit matured more quickly.
Coverings produced softer fruit and
were related to the length of the
row (distance to the edge).
" Microclimate stability under
covers led to reduced wind
speeds, warmer (but moderate)
temperatures and more humidity, "
Close said.
Water use under covers was
70% less than in netted trees, and
was fairly consistent at different
locations that were studied.
Fruit quality under covers
showed that mature fruit was softer
on a warm site, while fruit was
firmer and sweeter at a cooler site.
Close continues to evaluate why
firmness is lost when temperatures
and humidity are more extreme.
The role of calcium uptake also is
an important factor.
Production impacts
Richard Vollebregt, president/CEO
of Cravo Equipment Ltd. of Brantford,
Ontario, Canada, said seasonal
orchard covers protect against
weather extremes, but also have
some negative effects.
" The problem is every covering
has positive effects and negative
effects, " he said. " It depends on the
outdoor climate whether its impact
is positive or negative. This is
where the concept of retractability
came in where you can choose
the right covering that gives
you the right protection needed.
A covering is going to change
your light quantity, light quality,
wind, leaf and fruit temperature,
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soil temperature, humidity,
transpiration and water stress. It
basically changes everything. "
In 2013, Cravo worked with Greg
Lang, Michigan State University
(MSU) horticulture professor, to
install a retractable roof at MSU's
Clarksville Research Station " simply
to learn because we didn't know
anything about growing cherries. If
you've never been in a cherry orchard
before, you don't really know about
climate optimization to know what
the weather extremes can do to
your crop, " Vollebregt said.
Cravo noted that " timing has a big
impact " on revenue and the goal of
the study was to see if an earlier
harvest could be achieved - not to
protect, but to optimize the climate to
induce earlier flowering.
" We were able to show a one- to
two-weeks' change in flowering, "
he said.
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FRUITGROWERSNEWS.COM | 25

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April 2023

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of April 2023

April 2023 - 1
April 2023 - 2
April 2023 - 3
April 2023 - 4
April 2023 - 5
April 2023 - 6
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April 2023 - 8
April 2023 - 9
April 2023 - 10
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https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/FGN/december-2022
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https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/FGN/buyersguide-2022
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https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/FGN/buyersguide-2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/FGN/january-2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/FGN/december-2019
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