Haifa Bonus improves export quality of citrus fruit

 

A remarkable and highly significant increase in export quality fruit due to decreased rind defects

 
 

Crop/cultivar

Citrus / Orange, Shamuti
Country / location Israel / central part, Kibbutz Ramat Hakovesh
Objectives Decrease fruit rind post-harvest defects (“nuxan”)
Haifa product tested Haifa Bonus 13-2-44
Application method Foliar nutrition
Tested treatment 1 x foliar spray @ 9% & 4,000 lit./ha
Control treatment results Export quality after 14 d. non refrigerated storage: 76%
Export quality after 14 d. 6ºC storage: 92%
Export quality after 28 d. 6ºC storage: 87%
TSS/Acid = 10.3
Juice content=45.9
NPK leaf content: NO3 – 300ppm; P – 380ppm; 1.17% K
Grower’s revenue from yield: 432 US$/MT
Best treatment results Export quality after 14 d. non refrigerated storage: 96%
Export quality after 14 d. 6ºC storage: 98%
Export quality after 28 d. 6ºC storage: 93%
TSS/Acid = 10.1
Juice content=48.6
NPK leaf content: NO3 – 630ppm; P – 490ppm; 1.62% K
Grower’s revenue from yield:  946 US$/MT
Characteristics of best treatment

A remarkable and highly significant increase in export quality fruit due to decreased rind defects. An antagonistic effect on fruit internal quality: slightly reduced TSS/acid ratio, and increased juice content.
A considerable increase in NPK leaf content.
Cost of treatment (application + material) 60 US$/ha

Benefit/Cost ratio 34
Conclusions One foliar application of Multi-K suspension resulted in a remarkable increase in exportable fruit ratio and grower’s income. The positive effect is related to higher K content in the fruit rind.
Reference M. Tamim (Ministry of Agriculture)