Once again for this campaign, pome fruit producers can count on Hold Plus technology to reduce the acceleration of the senescence and ripening processes for apples and pears. And as a novelty this year, Stoller Europe guarantees the use of the solution in Organic Agriculture.
Hold Plus, a Stoller Europe technology
“Today, farmers are affected by increasingly unpredictable and significant climate risks that create some economic uncertainties,” explains Elodie Brans of Stoller Europe. “In this difficult context, Stoller brings a new solution through efficient technology to the various problems that can occur at the different growth stages of pome fruits.”
In order to put fruit of quality on the market, Stoller has set up solutions to help crops grow under stress. “These solutions are perfectly adapted to fruit orchards, which cover nearly 40,000 hectares in France. However, it is undeniable that fruit productions suffer from climate and technological hazards, which leads to a physiological decline in some regions.”
Hold Plus is here to reduce the level of ethylene synthesis and the appearance of accelerated signs of ripening. In this way, the ripening and senescence stages of plant tissue occur at a slower pace. By acting on the enzymes responsible for ethylene biosynthesis, Hold Plus reduces their activity and the final production of ethylene. The solution helps to group ripening without any loss in production or quality, by maintaining the optimal organoleptic characteristics of the fruit before and after harvest.”
Grouping ripening without any loss in production or quality
Years of research and many trials have shown that applying Hold Plus on the leaves of the apple tree reduces fruit drop after harvest as well as ethylene emission. “Additionally, our great experience with fruit crops has demonstrated that the fruit continues to grow, at a slower pace. Therefore, Hold Plus is a particularly efficient solution to control ripening speed and guarantee a certain quality.”
The technology was developed to reduce the fruits’ emission of ethylene and it gives physiological control over the ripening process of the fruits.
Monitoring fruit ripening at harvest time with the starch test. Foliar application of Hold Plus reduces the ripening speed of the fruits, allowing for good preservation and quality growth.
Improving fruit preservation
Given the important place of the apple on the French market, the Stoller technology is based on improving the preservation quality during the storage period. Harvesting the apples at the optimal ripening stage reduces the possibility of losses during the marketing phase.
“Ensuring the quality of the fruit after harvest is a problem common to all apple producers. Hold Plus guarantees the optimal ripening of the fruits while allowing them to maintain a high quality during the entire harvest and the storage period. This is made possible by the synergies established with the active ingredient 1-MCP during storage. Additionally, trials conducted at the station show that foliar applications of Hold Plus on the apple tree help improve the firmness by +0.5 kg/cm2.”
“We offer this unique solution to help producers improve the quality of their fruit and minimize losses. This is part of the storing process strategy as it increases the length of preservation of the fruit. Obtaining the best state of the fruit is one of the Stoller goals. The efficiency of our solutions, validated by the various trials, helps farmers offer the best product to the most demanding customers.”
“The fruit sector in France can continue to offer well-preserved nutritional products of quality, while taking into account the requirements of a sustainable diet. Growing can then take place more intelligently and more rationally, so that higher productivity can be reached with the intensive use of inputs. It therefore meets the requirements of the ‘Farm to Fork’ strategy and of organic and competitive farming, while meeting the challenges of climate change.”
Stoller Europe
Stoller Europe is a branch of the American multinational Stoller Group. It serves the agricultural markets of Europe, North Africa and Russia. “Our team is composed of highly qualified professionals who combine deep knowledge of plant physiology with an understanding of local crops and their specific challenges.”
For more information:
Elodie Brans
Stoller Europe
Phone: +34 965 11 05 22
https://stollereurope.com/fr