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On December the 17th TVNZ news ran a story about the damage the weather conditions had caused NZ cherry crops. Excessive rain (unwanted precipitation at the wrong time) can split cherry crops as excess water is taken in by the plant and therefore splits mature fruit, it is similar to crazing in tomatoes. The benefit we have (greenhouse growers) is that we have exact control over water application, whereas currently, cherry growers do not. Earlier the same week as TVNZ broadcast the story Mike Nichols, Massey University, sent me this update on a trial cherry crop that had been grown in a protected – semi controlled greenhouse environment.
With Cherry crops being worth so much to growers and the potential return high, it seems like some business case studies would well be worth the exercise for cherry growers. I hope they find Mike’s update very interesting and valuable as I have.
CHRISTMAS CHERRIES
by Mike Nichols
In 2017 I organised for Alan Bissett (of the Wee Red Barn, near Masterton, New Zealand) to purchase some 200 cherry trees, which had been grown in root restricting bags in a greenhouse in North Otago. These “mature” trees were dully freighted up to Masterton, and planted in four Haygrove tunnels. Incredibly they produced just over about 4 kg per tree of ripe cherries just before Christmas.
This year, after what is best described as a low/no pruning strategy I visited the property on 13 December. It was raining, but no problems as the Haygrove tunnels kept the fruit dry, (so no splitting), and the tunnels supported nets which prevented birds (at least most of them) from damaging the fruit. We estimated that the yield would be in the region of 10kg/tree, which at pre-christmas cherry prices would provide a very nice income—particularly as all the fruits could be harvested from the ground.
With global warming, it is difficult to justify the emphasis on producing rain sensitive fruit in traditionally low rainfall areas, when there is so much uncertainty with future weather patterns. Perhaps it is time to consider rain-proofing such crops?
Has anyone tried producing cherries in the Waikato? I imagine that away from the coast that there would be sufficient winter chilling.
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During recent visits I have seen indifferent results with fruit pollination/set on tomatoes. There are a multitude of reasons how or why poor setting will occur. Potentially caused from over loading, leading to plant stress, or simply not enough bee pressure could be one of multiple reasons. Since it has been extremely warm, I was tempted to blame poor pollination on bumble bees. However, at one property, where the plants were setting fourth truss, I came across the perfect setting all in sequential order on a very high percentage.
The most impressive aspect was only one or two flowers were open on any particular truss. The bees were working so well that as soon as the flower was open it was quickly visited and pollinated. The photo illustrates the sequential pollination. The first flower, now fruit is the biggest closely followed by the next four flowers with the sixth recently opening ready to be visited and pollinated by a bumble bee. It is very important that this occurs, now that the plant has set as quickly as nature will provide, the next truss can now take the energy it requires to repeat the process.
Crop registration forces you to take a close look at flowering verses set speed. If there are a lot of flowers open at any one time then the flowering speed could be too far in advance of the fruit set speed. I.e. too many flowers will be open indicating that pollination is slow to occur or not happening at all. The cost of miss-setting is real. To actively reduce this, take the time to understand how and why it could be happening. Bumble bees are the cheapest workers you will ever employ, no holidays, no overtime and when they fly into a cobweb you don’t have to ring Worksafe. If you are concerned a hive is not performing then call your supplier to order a booster hive. Bees are not robots and some hives might outperform or last longer than others, so I would be using the numbers from the crop registration to aid in reducing the risk of miss-setting.
The position you keep your bees is also important. Try to keep them around 1 metre from the head of the plant and semi-shaded. Using a thick polystyrene hat does the trick to reduce direct sunlight on the top of the box. If possible don’t stack new hives on top of old ones.
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Accidentally damaged not through neglect but kindness
It is timely that I write this article the week Educhem opened their new premises in Tuakau. Whether it is a coincidence or just good timing, this is a perfect example of why we all need to make sure we have the best possible knowledge and information to prevent possible accidents from occurring.
In the cover photo, I am quite sure there has been a slight phytotoxic reaction to the cucumber leaf. After a bit of probing, I realised this may have been caused by residue, from the disinfectant, remaining in the irrigation lines between plantings. Luckily the level of concentration, from the disinfectant in the irrigation lines, must have been at the low end of the scale, but you can see it has affected the colour of the leaf, almost turning 80-90% of the leaf a yellowish colour. The very top of the plant was ok and I expect the plant to grow through this hiccup. It is hard to put a financial value on how much this will cost the grower. It will certainly take, depending on the severity, time to recover from the shock and therefore a delay the start of harvesting. It is more than probable this will have had an adverse effect on the root systems reducing their growth rate.
The benefit of experience and visiting hundreds of growers, in New Zealand and globally, is that I have seen many crops accidentally damaged not through neglect but kindness. I have seen crops damaged by products used to disinfect irrigation lines before. A problem may occur if you don’t flush out the irrigation lines sufficiently before you replant and residue from the chemical has remained. If you are not changing your substrate and wish to disinfect irrigation lines, please, first remove the drippers from the substrate.
Cucumbers are very sensitive to the slightest issue. Tomatoes and peppers are more forgiving but not exempt, if the product is toxic to the plant then you will damage the plant, affecting its ability to function normally. Here is the conundrum, either do nothing or do something, especially if you know you have a problem with your water supply. I think growers should be encouraged to use products that keep their irrigation systems clean and their plants healthy, but the advice given to them when purchasing these products is the most important piece of the puzzle. Water sources are generally never 100% free from contamination, otherwise we would not have the need for such products on the market.
By completing appropriate training, you will equip yourself with the questions to ask your supplier when purchasing chemicals, to limit the chance of plant damage. It won’t make growers immune to problems, but it will certainly help prevent them from causing crop losses. Always consider the time of the year, the age of the crop, and how the weather will influence toxic reactions.
It is not just cucumbers, tomatoes, peppers and eggplants that are affected but all plants grown in greenhouses. Flower growers have to be especially vigilant, if the flower is damaged then their product is not marketable.
Below is an article I came across on the internet from Kristin Getter, Michigan State University. If you have time it is worth reading.
How to keep on top of the work (statutory holidays)
Well it is that time of the year again when the big fat guy with the grey beard in the red suit, from the North Pole brings us our holiday cheer. For growers, in this part of the world, it is just past the longest day and if crops are growing and harvesting, it is an extremely busy time. Growth rates are at their peak, production is very high and insect pressure is a constant threat. With all of the statutory holidays, every grower is working out the best strategy to organise their staff to keep up with the naturally increasing workload. It is always a very tricky time of the year for all growers who employ staff. As a grower/owner I was always able to work on statutory days if I needed to, which I did as my staff were on holiday. I think growing up on a dairy farm, where there are no statutory holidays for cows who have to be milked each day, stood me in good stead for becoming a tomato grower.
This year Christmas falls on a Tuesday and Boxing Day on a Wednesday. Smack bang in the middle of the week. So how do companies organise their staff and workloads. Growers will most probably have to get their staff to work the weekend before and after Christmas and possibly the first weekend in January. Only an absolute bare minimum of staff will be expected to work on Christmas or Boxing Day. Some companies will need to get staff in on Boxing Day to pick. Production and packhouse staff will need to work weekends, which I am sure they will be asked to do. For all staff and management, the Christmas and New Year holiday season is a huge headache to organise. Plant maintenance work aside, the picking, packing and transporting of produce must be a huge challenge. Making sure the distribution and delivery of fresh product, to restock retailers, must be a logistical nuisance. With the extra pressure on growing and pack house operations there is the additional costs to be absorbed.
With all of the distraction of organising labour my main concern was losing focus on growing the plants correctly and the attention to detail needed without cutting corners. It can be very easy to compromise on certain plant maintenance work, but this will just come back to bite you in the New Year. I speak from experience. The lower price of greenhouse produce, at this time of the year, means it can be hard to stay motivated. If your crop balance is not correct now it could impact on both production and plant health in January and February when the full force of the hot summer weather hits. Fruit loading now will be very high so making sure you do not over load plants and you protect root health is a key focus for this period. If you have issues now it will just be a battle to maintain a balanced plant through the coming months. A weaker, less maintained plant will have a reduced resistant to insect pests.
The speed at which workers can carry out the plant maintenance and harvesting are key. A few tips for this Christmas period, and the rest of the summer, is to start work very early in the morning. As soon as it is light it is better to work in cooler conditions. I would also clip my tomato plants as this was faster than twisting. I preferred to do this job in the morning. To reduce broken heads, which is more likely to happen in the morning, clipping also made sense. Another very important reason for working on the tops of the plants in the morning was to avoid the stress inflicted on the plant by twisting or clipping after lunch during the warmest part of the day. Leaf removal was done after lunch when it was cooler and easier for the staff to work lower down on the plants. Picking was still done in the morning but a separate crew was used to carry out this task.
Good luck with the increased work load and do enjoy your public holidays if you are able to get a break.
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The battle for market share is shifting and we should be aware
“Why will consumers buy more of what hydroponic farmers produce” was the topic presented by Martin Kneebone from Freshlogic. The presentation focused on his company’s analysis to deliver a set of views on emerging market trends and how they are poised to drive changes in the food market. The presentation was fascinating and thought provoking.
Demand Drivers
I was intrigued in how our shopping behaviour, in particular where we buy our food from, has changed in the last 18 years. It is now common for more than one person in the household to be working which has increased the need for convenience shopping. This has become an important consideration when analysing food purchasing habits. Less time at home means less time to prepare food. Eating out and buying pre-packaged ingredients ready for cooking, such as ‘my food bag’ has made a dent in retail purchasing. The introduction of Uber Eats, where food prepared by the food service delivered straight to your door by ‘taxi’ drivers, is changing the landscape for some restaurants, who are seeing less customers through their doors especially in the winter. With change comes new opportunities, growers should be aware of when seeking new markets to sell their products.
In Australia, food service attributed to approximately 26% of food sales in the year 2000, in the past eighteen years that has increased by 8% to 34%!! This has meant a reduction in retail or supermarket shopping from 74% to 66%. These numbers are not to be sniffed at and are keeping retail marketing teams on their toes. But even supermarkets cannot change how people live their lives. They need to adapt, like all business trying to maintain or increase a piece of the pie. Competition is only a good thing for consumers.
“Technology is now at warp speed”
Previously technological advances have been talked about in years but now they are talked about in months. Martin feels this has implications for the food industry. Google’s new smart home technology will collect information regarding everything in our lives, from what we watch on tv to what we like to eat, how much power we use, how much we wash our clothes etc etc the list goes on and on! With the introduction of smart home technology, the ordering and purchasing of food will be easier and more convenient. This information will be commercially priceless! Facebook was recently in the news for commercially sensitive information being used for potential gain, but this new form of technology will make that seem insignificant
Waste and Packaging
Supermarkets are under pressure to reduce plastic and taking measures to stay ahead of what could be impending government legislation. Now that certain countries are not taking recycled plastic it is becoming a matter of urgency. Most supermarkets are phasing out plastic bags to carry our goods home but this is just the first step. The next step will be for supermarkets to look at certain packaging, vegetables will be at the front of the firing line. It is only a matter of time before the packaging of our products comes under the microscope, as you can see from the photo below we use a lot of it. Whether it be for tomatoes, capsicums or telegraph cucumbers. The message I took away from the presentation was try and be ahead of what is coming, find solutions before we are forced too by government or supermarkets.
It does strike me as interesting, I want to know how other products that we purchase could be packaged alternatively in the future E.G milk, meat and poultry, frozen goods, soft drinks, potato chips, pre-made packaged salads, actually almost everything I can think of in the supermarket! In perspective removing the plastic bags from checkouts is a feel-good exercise but never the less a good thing which has opened a can of worms. I just hope that all suppliers of goods using plastic packaging are all treated fairly.
Below are several points why consumers will potentially want to buy more of what hydroponic farmers grow:
Providing better eating quality than other production systems.
Meeting convenience needs in size, portability and portion.
Understanding how hydroponic food’s sustainably produce fresh food
Helping households reducing food waste with smaller portions.
Using packaging systems that make new levels of recycling possible while maintaining supply chain functionality.
What can we do as either growers or marketers to increase the consumption of hydroponic foods:
Investing and developing the food service channels so that they understand and build menus around hydroponic food produced product.
Maintaining support from major retailers through acknowledgment of the higher value products that hydroponic food’s produce.
Keeping the “Smart Household” gatekeepers aware of the hydroponic food’s production outputs how these products are already well suited to AI systems.
All of these points are food for thought.
These photos were taken at my local supermarket. As you can see we use a tremendous amount of plastic in our packaging. The point made during the presentation is be prepeared as this packaging will come under the microscope.
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With the recently introduced Auckland Regional Fuel Tax (ARFT), Auckland growers now have increased fuel costs to pay for. Not only is there increased cost for the transport of produce and goods within the region for growers, there is also the increased cost for off road farm vehicles which has been pointed out. It has dawned on me that I am even being taxed more to mow my lawns! Unfortunately, it is not a simple case of being able to sell your product for more to recoup your increased costs, if only it was that easy.
For growers, close to but not in the Auckland region I would be concerned how the ARFT could potentially start to affect you. Over the past month I have done a quite a bit of travelling in Auckland, Waikato and the Bay of Plenty, thus refuelling in multiple destinations. As I was driving to Rotorua last month I decided to fill up in Matamata (Diesel), this turned out to be a great idea, it cost $1.39 per litre compared to $1.56 per litre in Pukekohe. During the return trip I decided to top up again in the Waikato and thought I would do so in Tirau but to my amazement the price was $1.51! I thought “wow in two days the price has risen in the Waikato!” Yeah right! I decided not to fill up but to drive back through Matamata to see what the fuel price was, to my relief still $ 1.39. What is going on! Is this just good competition between fuel companies.
Last weekend I was in Tauranga and noticed the price in the Bay of Plenty was as low as $1.34 and as high as $1.44 per litre. I drove back to Auckland on Monday morning only to notice that the closer I got to Auckland the difference in diesel prices at different stations. In Paeroa there was over 7 cents different in price between 3 suppliers only two kilometres apart. The further north the higher the price. Without, making any accusations and only from observation, the question I have is the ARFT causing a ‘knock on” effect with fluctuating pricing from surrounding regions. Personally, I have travelled a lot in these areas in the past ten years and it could be I have not taken much notice before but I don’t recall seeing such a difference in the price of fuel in the regions.
There are two things you can’t avoid in life – death and taxes. I understand the need to pay tax, it is what provides the pivotal services we all need. However, I question the fairness of the ARFT and the different playing field it appears to have created. I understand how improvements to the Auckland transport system, paid for by the ARFT, will potentially benefit Aucklanders and the rest of New Zealand but I also understand the need to be fair to prevent resentment.
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Bio-Protection Research Centre, Lincoln University, Lincoln. Ph: 03 423 0911
Email: steve.wratten@lincoln.ac.nz
A bit of background
Biological control (BC) of pests can be elegant, self-sustaining, non-polluting and cheap – when it works! In glasshouses, BC has had a long history, with researchers in the Netherlands leading the way. Before this approach was fully developed, broad-spectrum pesticides were the norm. This became unacceptable to EU and other markets and was a hazardous approach, as well as precluding any biological control approaches. Now, the EU leads the way with companies such as Koppert and Biobest, and Bioforce in New Zealand are part of that drive, with developing new agents and how to deploy them. We at the Bio-Protection Research Centre (BPRC), Lincoln University, have good links with Biobest, particularly Prof. Felix Wackers who is their Research Director. This BC approach reduces operational costs, enhances marketing and addresses a continually reducing portfolio of pesticide products on the market, as well as resistance in the pests themselves. The elegance of BC was nicely summarised in a BBC TV programme called Pest Wars. The narrator said “in its beauty and simplicity, a biocontrol system like this is unsurpassed. To farmers, it’s been a revelation”. Our challenge is to get back to that happy state.
In New Zealand glasshouses, the main biological control agents (BCAs) have been the introduced wasp Encarsia formosa against whitefly and another wasp, Aphidius colemani, against aphids. Predatory mites against the two-spotted spider mite were also commonly used. However, the range of BCAs commercially available in New Zealand is limited relative to the species available in Europe and North America. For example, generalist predators used overseas in greenhouse-grown tomatoes include mirid bug species capable of navigating the hairs found on tomato plants. These predators complement the parasitoid E. formosa, in suppressing whitefly populations, one of the key pests on tomatoes grown in glasshouses. In New Zealand there are no commercially available predators known to effectively predate whitefly on tomato plants. While E. formosa can be effective at managing these when their numbers are low, it is less effective when the pest’s population growth outstrips parasitism by this parasitoid.
Additionally, since the arrival of the dangerous disease-transmitting tomato-potato psyllid (TPP), no BCAs of proven efficacy have been available commercially to control this pest, resulting again in a reliance on pesticides to manage it. The latter wipes out and precludes the BC approach. However, recent results from the BPRC, with funding from AGMARDT, Tomatoes NZ and Vegetables NZ, show that the parasitic wasp, Tamarixia, has great promise in managing TPP. This was introduced by Plant and Food Research from Koppert’s Mexican laboratories after MPI approval.
Our experiments
We have evaluated a range of potential BCAs, including Tamarixia, against TPP in replicated experiments using BugDorm cages in a commercial-scale glasshouse at Lincoln University (see Fig. 1). Before that work, the BPRC funded preliminary work on a spectacular ladybird, Cleobora mellyi. This lives on eucalyptus trees in Tasmania and it was introduced to New Zealand to eat a beetle pest on eucalypts and brought to Lincoln with the help of colleagues in Blenheim. Our Centre is probably soon to be the only New Zealand location where cultures of the Tamarixia wasp are maintained.
Fig. 1. BugDorms in use in Experiment 1.
The BCAs evaluated in the first experiment were: the predatory mite Amblydromalus limonicus, the predatory bug Engytatus nicotianae, the ladybird Cleobora mellyi and the parasitic wasp Tamarixia triozae. Flowering buckwheat (BW) was added to the Tamarixia and Cleobora treatments to evaluate whether it enhanced the efficacy of these BCAs by providing nectar and pollen. Some of the results of that experiment are shown in Fig. 2. That work gave exciting results, indicating that although Engytatus was not much use, Cleobora with flowers and other treatments looked good but were not significant, while Cleobora and its bouquets knocked TPP numbers down to very low levels – as good as Tamarixia which was best of all.
Fig. 2. Mean number of TPP adults per tomato leaf in each treatment after three weeks. The effectiveness of Tamarixia was dramatic, reducing the numbers of adult psyllids to around 2% of the starting population. BW = buckwheat.
The second experiment was similar to the first but included two BCA species interacting in the same treatment as well as buckwheat being provided in some cases. This looked at possible synergies between different natural enemy species and whether buckwheat flowers enhanced overall effectiveness. A typical synergy might be that Tamarixia stings the early stages of the TPP pest, while Engytatus attacks the older ones and the ladybird eats, well, everything! Results are shown in Fig. 3.
Before the above work began, Plant and Food Research introduced Tamarixia to hedgerows comprising South African boxthorn in Canterbury. TPP can be abundant on that plant. The aim of this was to establish self-sustaining populations of the parasitoid and to help reduce populations of TPP in habitats that provide refuges
Fig. 3. Mean number of TPP adults per leaf in each treatment after six weeks. The effectiveness of Tamarixia was dramatic, reducing the numbers of adult psyllids to around 2% of the starting population. BW = buckwheat. Cleobora, Tamarixia and Limonicus were exceptionally effective, reducing TPP adult numbers from 30–40/leaf to three or lower.
for the pest in the absence of annual host plants such as potato and tomato crops. Also, large numbers of Tamarixia in the field margins could invade potato crops, reducing the need for pesticide spraying. Currently, this can occur at 15 times per season in potatoes. Any reduction of TPP in the field by Tamarixia could reduce the chances that the pest will colonise glasshouses – a win-win situation.
Early work of this type, conducted in vineyards with other pests and BCAs, showed that buckwheat and phacelia flowers improved BC of vine pests by providing appropriate nectar to parasitic wasps (Fig. 4)
Fig. 4. Vine rows in Waipara, North Canterbury, planted with buckwheat (Top) and phacelia (Below). Photo: Jean-Luc Dufour.
Future plans
Our plans include:
Further evaluating complementary effects of BCAs, i.e. release two or more species at once. These species would have different behaviours and dietary preferences as well as perhaps having the ability to deal with low pest populations.
Providing ‘rewards’ to the BCAs in the form of SNAP (Shelter, Nectar, Alternative food, Pollen) – buckwheat is the top candidate in this respect based on related work at Lincoln University. The ‘Alternative food’ approach would be best provided by the use of banker plants on which insects which do not attack tomato harbour persistent background populations of the BCAs. For this and other approaches suggested here, this would work only if pesticide spraying was reduced in at least part of the glasshouse.
Evaluating potential new glasshouse BCAs which exist in New Zealand but have not been evaluated in glasshouses. A potentially good candidate is the green lacewing. This can be abundant around Auckland, is veracious and can be easily cultured. Prof. Steve Wratten has worked with this insect in the UK (www.mambo-tox.co.uk) and he and PhD student Morgan Shields will visit the Auckland glasshouse company called Curious Croppers in September to try to collect and maintain cultures of this lacewing and its cousin, the brown lacewing.
Working at appropriate spatial scales, i.e. in parts of commercial glasshouses or at a commercial scale in glasshouses at Lincoln University.
Involvement with industry
With help from Bioforce in Auckland, Underglass Bombay Ltd hope to advise on the first of our larger-scale experiments. Our knowledge of the NZ tomato industry is extensive, so we are well positioned to expand our large-scale work as results develop. Also, Albert and Humphrey Shih have earlier expressed their willingness to offer help in glasshouses near Lincoln. To enable us to address Māori aspirations, we have a working relationship with Te Rūnanga o Koukourārata (Port Levy, Banks Peninsula). This involves growing food crops around the marae. That Rūnanga has been gifted three plastic tunnel houses by Tunnelhouse World, Christchurch, with the help of the Future Farming Centre at Lincoln University (www.bhu.org.nz/future-farming-centre).
A lovely illustration of how parasitic wasps go about their business can be seen in the video clip here (https://youtu.be/57RgIp_2EN8). Videography by Eric Weiss, Germany.
This collaborative work is world-leading and the New Zealand horticultural industry was given a taster of these early results and prospects at the Horticulture NZ ‘Our Food Story’ conference in Christchurch in August 2018. Three hundred people were exposed to these non-insecticidal approaches, which are vital in the face of the increasing volatility agricultural and horticultural sectors.
I would like to invite greenhouse growers to follow Grower2Grower on Facebook. To be honest I am not that familiar with Facebook yet as I have only recently joined the social network. I am not sure how many greenhouse growers are using this platform. My aim is to achieve a live forum for growers, where they can share ideas and thoughts, or any concerns they have and are able to get feedback from their peers. You can email, via the site, any topics/comments you would like published for your peers to comment on.
I see information flow as critical for continuing to upskill and improve. As growers we are competitors and team mates. If we can all help each other grow good products then we can increase the strength of our brand. No grower wants to see another grower fail. Unless you are an outdoor grower in Queensland and hit by a flood in the middle of the NZ winter!
There are other social media outlets with great international stories but I want what is relevant for our growers today. Please feel free to ‘like’ and follow the Grower2Grower Facebook site, all are welcome.
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