When Fruit Color and Maturity Align
For fruit growers, pressures with the crop come not only from attaining uniform crop appearance, but also getting that harvest time dialed in and being efficient. Margins are tight and, in chatting with Ryan McCoon of Cultiva, he says that when more fruit is ready on the first pick, it improves harvest productivity and reduces the number of passes needed, ultimately maximizing return. But, warm weather this year has brought some challenges…
“Heat can accelerate maturity unevenly. When fruit maturity and color don’t align, it leads to delayed harvest, additional picks, and it can also reduce the grade of fruit.”
McCoon works often with Kallur, a potassium-based harvest aid that improves harvest productivity and overall fruit quality…
“It promotes stronger, more uniform color and development, but it doesn’t accelerate the ripening process, so I think that’s what’s really unique about it. It’ll improve first pick percentage. It gives growers more confidence at harvest timing for sure. And, ultimately, it improves premium packouts.”
To chat about whether or not this input could be a good business decision, head to Cultiva.com to find your local representative.
