Jan 13, 2010

Sysstem-CAL Shows Promise in Research Trials

University and private research orchard trials are showing that Agro-K Corp.’s calcium micronutrient Sysstem-CAL can be tank mixed with early season applications of Apogee, Promalin, Sevin XLR Plus and other plant growth regulators on apples without antagonism, and in many trials with enhanced PGR activity.

Peak demand for calcium in apple fruit is early in the growing season. Calcium produces fruit with stronger cell walls to better tolerate pathogens. Calcium helps reduce bitter pit and improves pack-out, storage and shelf life. Sysstem-CAL foliar calcium uses a unique, patent-pending Agro-K technology linking calcium to a highly systemic phosphite formulation for rapid absorption and translocation into the fruit, where calcium is most needed.

Other calcium formulations can reduce the growth control of Apogee, but Sysstem-CAL does not hamper performance. In 2009 replicated field research with Cortland/M.26 apple trees, Duane Greene of the University of Massachusetts found that Apogee plus a 64-ounce rate of Sysstem-CAL reduced terminal growth the same as Apogee alone, but also increased fruit weight and numerically reduced bitter pit.

“The weight of the fruit from trees treated with Apogee plus Sysstem-CAL was significantly larger than control fruit,” Greene said. “Fruit on trees that received the higher rate of calcium sprays displayed numerically less bitter pit. But the key finding is that 64 ounces/100 gallons of Sysstem-CAL in an Apogee tank mix does not reduce efficacy of the Apogee.”

And because Sysstem-CAL doesn’t interfere with Apogee, the PGR still helps growers manage fire blight more effectively.

In working with Promalin in a block of mature Early Red One Delicious/Mark 63 trees in 2009, Greene also found better results, including an increase in fruit weight, when Sysstem-CAL was used with Promalin. He said there were indications that Sysstem-CAL enhances the L/D ratio Promalin provides.

“Promalin treatments increased the L/D ratio, and the trees that received Promalin plus Sysstem-CAL were in general slightly more fruit type (greater L/D ratio),” Greene reported. “The only treatment that increased the L/D ratio contained 2 pints per acre of Promalin plus 2 quarts of Sysstem-CAL. There appeared to be no phytotoxicity following application.”

Similar results with Apogee and Sysstem-CAL have been seen in research at Penn State University, in independent research trials at Reality Research in New York state and among cooperators in Washington state, said Chapman Mayo, president of Agro-K.

Orchard trials by Reality Research found that Sysstem-CAL improved the thinning programs using Sevin XLR Plus, MaxCel and Fruitone N, as well as the growth control of Apogee. Sysstem-CAL had no phytotoxicity or handling issues and “definitely improved fruit thinning” of Gala, Fuji and Red Delicious varieties, said W.H. “Butch” Palmer, who managed the trials.

Sysstem-CAL can be used early season, while calcium chloride cannot. Palmer noted that Sysstem-CAL would be a good option to replace calcium chloride in cover sprays.

Growers of other crops also are using Sysstem-CAL to maximize fruit quality and minimize calcium deficiency problems such as blossom end rot in tomatoes and internal cell breakdown in stone fruit.

“In apples, growers no longer have to choose between Apogee benefits and addressing the fruit’s peak demand for calcium between bloom and the end of cell division,” Mayo said. “Also, applications of Sysstem-CAL after cell division is complete will continue to support the tree’s needs so calcium is not pulled from the fruit, thereby maximizing fruit calcium levels, which will reduce bitter pit and improve storability of the fruit.”

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