South Tyrol: the abundant blossoming is an excellent sign for Interpoma 2016
The mild climate favoured abundant blossoming down in the valley and also in the apple orchards higher up. “All the right conditions are there for an optimum setting” says agronomist Wolfgang Drahorad.
Bolzano, 6th May 2016 – „The blossoming in the valley began in early April and is now over. It was a bit earlier than usual, by about six days. However, there is still blossoming in the apple orchards located at around 800m a.s.l. The weather was mild and conducive to fertilisation and the blossoming was very abundant this year.” Wolfang Drahorad, agronomist and teaching assistant at the University of Bolzano’s Faculty of Science and Technology, describes a very positive situation, in late spring, in the apple orchards of South Tyrol.
All this is good for the successive phenological stages, starting from the setting of the fruit which promises to be excellent. “The first thinning of the fruit has already begun in the valley. So there are all the conditions for flourishing of the fruits.”
Something else characterising the current year has been the complete absence of night frosts during the blossoming stage. „This is quite an exceptional case in South Tyrol. However, until the mid-May it’s always possible, as is normal. The frost can cause damage to the blossoms and, in general, the overall quality and quantity of fruit.”
Regarding pathogens, up to now no big problems have occurred. „The rains have been as normal until now, and therefore also the treatments against apple scab.“ A final aspect pointed out by Drahorad concerns the growth of apple trees: „This year it is good and plentiful. Overall we can be happy and satisfied with the seasonal trend in progress.”
Things are therefore very promising for South Tyrol apple growing, which will bring together all its leading players and those from around the world during the next edition of Interpoma, from 24 to 26 November at Fiera Bolzano. A key international event also for taking stock of the commercial situation of the season, which will then be in full swing. As usual, during the three days of the trade fair there will also be the traditional „The Apple in the World” international conference, which will host some twenty speakers who will discuss the most topical issues regarding the apple sector.
„This year has an interesting novelty – says conference coordinator Kurt Werth – Given the importance of the issue and the high expertise of our growers, for the first time we will bring to the conference the subject of nurseries, illustrating the new experiences in propagation methods, cultivation techniques and plant quality.“ Nurseries will be the first topic of day three (Saturday 26 November), dedicated to technical innovation, science and research: this will be followed by two more technical reports on „Different pruning methods and types of apple growing“ and „Programmed irrigation in South Tyrol fruit growing”.
The second part of the day will mainly concern science and research, with the presentation of several highly topical projects focused on the future of apple growing: “EUFRUIT: the European theme network on innovation in fruit growing“, a European project aimed at facilitating access to knowledge of and making known the potential of existing research and innovation for the benefit of the fruit & vegetable sector and consumers; the „MONALISA apple project – Monitoring key parameters of the alpine environment: the quality of apples in the viewfinder of science and technology”, aimed at improving the understanding of critical environmental processes through innovative monitoring technologies and „Drones in orchards: research and development of remotely piloted aircraft systems in modern agriculture“.
During the first two days the focus will be on „The apple market in transition“ (Thursday, 24 November), where the main subject will be the market and environmental sustainability and „What consumers say“ (Friday, 25 November), when the behaviour and expectations of consumers in the process of buying apples will be examined.
Source: Interpoma Press Office
Prague, 10 May 2016
