Articles
The effect of DrapeNet® on ‘Packham’s Triumph’ fruit quality
Article number
1403_9
Pages
83 – 88
Language
English
Abstract
DrapeNet®, a technology developed in Australia, has been used in the South African apple industry on cultivars such as ‘Granny Smith’ and ‘Golden Delicious’ to maintain green skin color and reduce sunburn and scuff marks.
In recent years some producers have also used DrapeNet® on ‘Packham’s Triumph’ pears.
Concerns were raised regarding the effect of DrapeNet® on return bloom and therefore a study was initiated.
Two orchards in the Ceres growing region (Western Cape, South Africa) were selected.
Black DrapeNet® was mounted on both orchards on 9 December 2021. Each orchard had eight replicate plots each with DrapeNet® and without DrapeNet® according to a randomized complete block design.
A plot consisted of six trees of which the middle two trees were used for evaluations.
Fruit were evaluated on the day of harvest for sunburn and scuff marks (on tree) and a maturity analysis was done at harvest, after 10 weeks RA cold storage at -0.5°C, and after a simulated shelf life of 7 days at 20°C. During the first season of the study, it was found that the use of DrapeNet® reduced sunburn significantly in both orchards.
Scuff marks were significantly reduced in pears covered by DrapeNet® in one of the orchards that experienced strong winds.
Fruit quality was not affected by the use of DrapeNet® after storage.
Pears not covered by DrapeNet® had higher TSS levels compared to pears covered by DrapeNet® in both orchards.
However, both treatments resulted in pears with a TSS levels above 11% which is the minimum requirement for export.
The effect of DrapeNet® on return bloom will be determined at a later stage of this project.
In recent years some producers have also used DrapeNet® on ‘Packham’s Triumph’ pears.
Concerns were raised regarding the effect of DrapeNet® on return bloom and therefore a study was initiated.
Two orchards in the Ceres growing region (Western Cape, South Africa) were selected.
Black DrapeNet® was mounted on both orchards on 9 December 2021. Each orchard had eight replicate plots each with DrapeNet® and without DrapeNet® according to a randomized complete block design.
A plot consisted of six trees of which the middle two trees were used for evaluations.
Fruit were evaluated on the day of harvest for sunburn and scuff marks (on tree) and a maturity analysis was done at harvest, after 10 weeks RA cold storage at -0.5°C, and after a simulated shelf life of 7 days at 20°C. During the first season of the study, it was found that the use of DrapeNet® reduced sunburn significantly in both orchards.
Scuff marks were significantly reduced in pears covered by DrapeNet® in one of the orchards that experienced strong winds.
Fruit quality was not affected by the use of DrapeNet® after storage.
Pears not covered by DrapeNet® had higher TSS levels compared to pears covered by DrapeNet® in both orchards.
However, both treatments resulted in pears with a TSS levels above 11% which is the minimum requirement for export.
The effect of DrapeNet® on return bloom will be determined at a later stage of this project.
Publication
Authors
J. Ladegourdie, D.W. Viljoen, I.J. Crouch, M. Gouws
Keywords
DrapeNet, Packham’s Triumph, sunburn, sun scald, scuff marks, fruit quality
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