INDUSTRY NEWS - ACE ORCHARD UPDATE
Still a lot to learn with almond tree nutrition
Haifa Australia Southern Agronomist Sheri Robinson and Anthony Wachtel , Orchard Manager at the Almond Board of Australia ’ s Almond Centre of Excellence property near Loxton in SA , discuss tree nutrition pre and post-harvest and the impact for future crops .
AFTER a difficult season for almond production and quality , Anthony Wachtel from the Almond Board of Australia ( ABA ) says when it comes to tree nutrition , “ there is still a lot to learn about what we don ’ t know yet ’’. Anthony is Orchard Manager at the ABA ’ s Almond Centre of Excellence property near Loxton , which it manages for a wide range of research with industry departments , tertiary institutions and commercial organisations . The 60-hectare property , comprising loamy sand soils , was planted in 2017 to several varieties and rootstocks , including some new Australian lines , with the research looking at various issues including tree densities , irrigation , tree structure , soil amelioration and orchard machinery , as well as nutrition . High quality fertilisers are used in the orchard , including Haifa ’ s Multi-K potassium nitrate , as well as calcium nitrate , potassium sulphate , phosphorus , liquid fertilisers , UAN and micronutrients including
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Last season it was significantly healthier all the way through to harvest .
reasonable quantities of iron and magnesium and foliar blends . “ Potassium nitrate was applied in every fertiliser mix last season from August 16 to October 28 , including with every nutrient foliar spray ,’’ Anthony said . Fertiliser applications were lower overall due to the very cool and wet conditions and , similar to reports from other areas , the Nonpareil crop was looking light . “ The weather conditions may have affected pollination . Despite bee numbers being at standard stocking rate , early flowering varieties like Nonpareil and Shasta showed more duds , deformed kernel and poor crackout percentages ,’’ Anthony said . However , a switch from using an EDTA iron chelate to an EDDHA iron chelate to better suit the soil pH on
- Anthony Wachtel , ABA ACE Orchard Manager
the property last season , combined with magnesium and micronutrient blends , resulted in “ greener trees ’’, and this had since triggered discussion with Haifa Australia Southern Agronomist Sheri Robinson on what this could mean for future crops . Sheri said she noticed a significant difference in the leaf health at the Almond Centre of Excellence property last season compared with some other orchards that may have been impacted by limiting micronutrient supply and “ wet feet ’’. “ The site started looking green from the start , which is a good indication of a strong micronutrient program ,’’ Sheri said . She said Haifa now offered an EDDHA iron chelate with the highest ortho-ortho level of 5.2pc , ensuring
14 In A Nutshell - Winter 2023 Vol 24 Issue 2