INDUSTRY NEWS
Quest for perfect blossom timelapse captures Carina ’ s self-fertile capability
In search of the perfect timelapse images of an almond blossom , Dean Dinicola dug up a two-year-old Carina tree from the orchard ( above ) for brother-in-law Tom Stefanovic to photograph inside ( top left ). While the experiment didn ' t capture the quality of images the pair hoped for , it did prove the variety ' s self-fertile capability , producing a solid fruit set while indoors away from bees and other pollinators .
PEOPLE go to great lengths to capture perfect images for social media , but Dean Dinicola and his brother-in-law Tom Stefanovic took things to a whole new level when they set out to capture a timelapse of an almond flower in bloom last year . Tom , a former Channel Nine cameraman , wanted perfect conditions for the shoot that was intended to be used to promote the family ’ s almond milk brand , Mandole Orchard . In July , Dean dug up a two-year-old almond tree using an excavator , selecting it from part of the orchard where the clay soil would stick to the roots . For about 10 weeks the tree lived in a 1,000 litre IBC shuttle , which was moved into the Dinicola family living room / pool area , enclosed by glass sealed doors and gauze , with the help of a small forklift . Dean said the plan was to take a photo of the tree every day , but at the end of the project Tom wasn ’ t happy with the quality of the images due to poor lighting in the room . Some days were also missed because they were too busy with work or weather conditions weren ’ t favourable . But all wasn ’ t lost , because it was an opportunity to see how the Carina almond variety performed when it wasn ’ t exposed to bees or other insects to help with pollination . Dean said despite being in the enclosed area , the flowers set fruit in pleasing quantity and proved the variety ’ s self-fertile capability . The Dinicolas have 145 hectares of Carina planted , in an orchard with 25 % Price and 25 % Wood Colony . There is also a fully self-fertile orchard
that ’ s 50 % Shasta and 50 % Carina . The family also has two single block plantings consisting of 170 acres of Independence and 150 acres of Pyrenees , which are both self-fertile varieties . During almond pollination the Dinicolas use 400 hives across 350 acres and Dean said that appears to be plenty . The Dinicolas ' oldest orchard is 20 years old and Dean will watch how the self-fertile varieties perform over the next four years as he weighs up which varieties to replant . Pollination is only several weeks away again , so will Dean and Tom have a second attempt at the almond flower timelapse ? Dean said there is absolutely no way his mum will let them bring the small forklift back into the pool room again !
industry . australianalmonds . com . au
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