Providence is a new red-fleshed apple for the cider and processing industries. | 14
Organic perspective
Understanding the costs of production for organic produce. | 18
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Grafting: A good compromise
Changing palates and practices leave vineyard managers looking for ways to change grape varieties without losing years of production.
BY TOM WALKER
BY STUART OKE AND DAVID COHLMEYER, ORGANIC COUNCIL OF ONTARIO
page
Close-up of a graft at an Okanagan Valley vineyard. See
10. Photo by Tom Walker.
A season full of possibilities
It’s March, which means spring is right around the corner. It’s the time of year when anything is still possible for the upcoming season. The weather, late or early frosts, labour availability, planting conditions: it’s all up in the air.
That can be terrifying, but it’s also exciting. The 2021 growing season could be fantastic. Maybe that new vegetable variety you decided to try will become a new staple on your farm. Maybe that cover crop you planted after harvest last year will suppress the weeds and give your seeds a head start. The season is full of possibilities.
Of course, experience, planning and the realities of this season will influence what possibilities you pursue. The pandemic is still a going concern in many parts of Canada, and no doubt you’ve already made many decisions on how to approach the coming months’ work.
deep crimson skin and flesh hold attractive promise for the cider and processing industries.
Considering transitioning to organic practices, but put off by the anticipated costs? On page 18, Stuart Oke and David Cohlmeyer of the Organic Council of Ontario discuss their recently created Cost of Production series. These organic product profiles are the result of OCO consultations with organic producers in an attempt to better understand the different variables that affect organic production.
If you’re looking to spice up your operation, there are always new crops, equipment or strategies you can try. But experience and tradition have many benefits, too – each season often brings enough changes and challenges that you might not want to go looking for more.
Editorial
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COO SCOTT JAMIESON sjamieson@annexbusinessmedia.com
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One way to approach trying new things might be to follow the lead of grape grafting or apple cultivar development: building on something established to create something different. Find one thing you’d like to
“After all, uncertainty is a feature, not a bug, of farming.”
On page 10, Tom Walker writes about the process of grafting as a way to change wine grape varieties without the cost and disruption of a full replant. It’s a complex decision for a vineyard to make, and not without its risks – especially with concerns of red blotch and leafroll viruses infecting grafting stock.
For a recent apple development, check out page 14. John Cline, professor of pomology and tree fruit physiology with the University of Guelph, shares information about Providence, a new apple cultivar he developed at the university’s Simcoe Research Station. The apple’s
improve and use the knowledge and experience you’ve gained through years of growing to do it better.
After all, uncertainty is a feature, not a bug, of farming. If you were concerned about the safe and reliable route, you wouldn’t be out in the fields year after year, planting, growing and harvesting against weather, pests and all odds.
Be bold (but not brash): use what you know and make something different. •
U.S.A. - 1 Year $ 53.50 CDN GST - #867172652RT0001 Occasionally, Fruit & Vegetable Magazine will mail information on behalf of industry-related groups whose products and services we believe may be of interest to you. If you prefer not to receive this information, please contact our circulation department in any of the four ways listed above.
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New PMRA minor use label expansions
The Canadian Pest Management Regulatory Agency (PMRA) has recently registered minor use label expansions for several chemical products used on horticultural crops.
ZAMPRO
Zampro fungicide (ametoctradin + dimethomorph), produced by BASF Canada Agricultural Solutions, is now registered for use against downy mildew on spinach (control) and blackberries (suppression).
Zampro was previously registered for downy mildew and a variety of blights in grapes, hops, potatoes, as well as Brassica, cucurbit, leafy and fruiting vegetables.
ALTACOR
Altacor (chlorantraniliprole) is a Group 28 insecticide produced by FMC. It is now registered for use against peach tree borer and lesser peach tree borer in all stone fruit.
Altacor was previously registered for use against other insect pests, including several fruitworm species, Japanese beetles, and other boring insects, in apples, grapes, pears, tree nuts, stone fruit and a variety of berries.
SERIFEL
BASF’s Serifel (Bacillus amyloliquefaciens strain MBI600) is a Group 44 biofungicide with multiple modes of action, which is also compatible with organic production.
New for the 2021 growing season, Serifel is now
available for use on a range of fruiting, leafy, root and cucurbit vegetables, and berries. Serifel was previously registered for use in targeting powdery mildew and botrytis in grapes.
DIPLOMAT
Belchim Crop Protection Canada’s Diplomat biofungicide (polyoxin D zinc salt) was recently expanded for control of:
• powdery mildew on caneberries (including blackberries and raspberries);
• leather rot, and phomopsis leaf spot and fruit rot on strawberries; and
• downy mildew and phomopsis fruit rot on grapes.
Diplomat is a biofungicide that controls diseases for a variety of fruit, vegetable and ornamental crops. It is the only Group 19 fungicide registered for food use in Canada.
LALSTOP G64 WG
Lalstop G64 WG biofungicide (Gliocladium catenulatum strain J1446), produced by Lallemand Plant Care, was recently registered for suppression of damping-off, crown and root rot, Botrytis stem canker and grey mould on greenhouse-grown eggplant, Asian water spinach, strawberries and indoor-grown cannabis in Canada.
Previously known as Prestop WG, Lalstop G64 WG was already labelled for use on several greenhousegrown vegetables, herbs and ornamentals in Canada for management of these diseases and others.
APPLE STUDY LOOKS AT THE ECONOMICS OF BUD-COUNTING
A new research project out of Cornell University in New York will delve into precision pruning and bud-counting in apple orchards.
Terence Robinson, professor in the school of integrative plant science at Cornell University, has pitched bud-counting for more economic, higher quality apple production for years. Now, his project
will have a national audience.
A four-year, $4.8 million grant from the USDA’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture will allow Robinson and colleagues across the United States to examine the economics and equipment of the pruning and refine their scientific models for pruning individual varieties in different states.
Curating the number of buds on a tree leaves it better able to expend energy and resources creating higher quality apples, according to Robinson. However, growers should have a solid understanding of what they’re hoping to achieve with the practice, backed by data.
Robinson’s goal has been to incorporate technology and automation into the
thinning process. He hasn’t ruled out the possibility of trying automated thinning technology in the project’s future.
Robinson says in his professional profile that he aims “to do practical research and extension on tree fruit production problems that will increase the profitability and strength of the NY fruit industry and fruit growers around the world.”
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GRAFTING: A good compromise compared to a full replant
Changing palates and practices in Canadian winemaking leave vineyard managers looking for ways to change grape varieties without losing years of production – one of which is grafting.
BY TOM WALKER
BELOW
As wine drinker’s tastes have evolved, along with viticulture and vintner practices, vineyard managers must look for ways to change up varieties.
“We had this block of Chenin Blanc vines,” says Troy Osborne, viticulture manager for Arterra Wines in the south Okanagan Valley. “We were looking to grow more Gewurztraminer, so after considering the option of pulling out and doing a full replant, we settled on grafting the block over about 20 years ago.” Osborne was hosting a grafting field day to follow a seminar from Larry Bettiga, viticulture farm advisor with the University of California, at the 2020 Insight Wine conference in March, in Kelowna, B.C. Bettiga confirms that’s the major reason to do a field or top graft. “You may be looking to plant a different variety,” he says. “Maybe you have decided that you have the wrong variety for that spot, maybe your wine maker wants a new variety, or you are adding a different clone to add complexity to your wine.”
Saving the cost of a full replant and avoiding a three- to four-year loss in production are the economic drivers behind grafting. “Compared to the cost of a full replant at $20,000 to $25,000 CAD an acre, a good grafting crew will run you $5,000 to $6,000 CAD an acre,” Bettiga says, using costs from a 2014 study. “You are taking an established root system that is used to supporting 20 shoots and channeling that into two short canes, so the first-year growth is amazing. You
Larry Bettiga discusses grafting at the 2020 B.C. Grape Growers’ field day in early March, held at Arterra Wines in the Okanagan Valley.
PHOTOS COURTESY OF TOM WALKER.
often are back in full production after two years.”
But grafting is not a slam dunk. There are many factors to consider before you decide to graft, Bettiga explains, and a full site evaluation should be completed before planning any type of redevelopment. “The most important factor is the condition of your vineyard,” he says. “You have been farming this block awhile, so you likely have a pretty good idea of what is going on.”
LEFT
The Arterra Wines vineyard in the Okanagan Valley grafted Gewurztraminer vines onto 20-year-old Chenin Blanc roots.
But grafting is not a slam dunk. There are many factors to consider before you decide to graft.
While certain rootstock, varietal, and graft varietal combinations will work better than others, there are no hard rules. You may graft red onto white and vice versa. “If you are able, try a row first before you commit to changing your whole block,” Bettiga advises.
Vines should have minimal trunk damage – either cold damage or bark wounds – to ensure that the new grafts have a good start and the chance of a long maturity. “If you find cold damage that is predominately in the cordons, work back down the trunk and you should be able to find a spot below the damaged tissue to place the graft,” Bettiga says.
Vineyard infrastructure is also
important. “You need to ask yourself if something needs to be improved,” he says, adding there are a number of factors to consider. Growers should review the layout and spacing of the current vines and determine if they are the best option for the site, as well as the new variety. The trellis system also needs to be evaluated. “Is it sturdy or in need of repair?” Bettiga asks. “Or is the irrigation system in need of upgrading?” And lastly, is there a need for major soil amendments?
Bettiga also encourages growers to think of their future plans, such as whether the block layout is suitable for the mechanical harvester they might be hoping to purchase in the next couple of years. “If any of the infrastructure needs a refit, you may be spending money on grafting when a major reconstruction is what will be needed for the site in a couple of years,” Bettiga cautions.
And grafting is final. “You do limit your options to change at a later date,” he says. “You can’t graft onto a graft.”
Another consideration is access to a good grafting crew. “You need at least a 90 per cent success rate across a block for grafting to be economic, and that only comes from an experienced crew,” Bettiga says. “If not, you are going back to fill in gaps in the block the next year, and your production could be very uneven for a couple of years. Depending on the impact of the first graft, the vine may not be able to take a second try.”
Osborne confirms this. “We used a local apple grafting crew for some of our work, but it was not successful,” he says. “It is just not the same skill set, so we brought in a specialized crew from the [United] States.” That California crew would do 10 to 20 acres per year in the early 2000s, Osborne says. “We had members of our own team train along with the contractors,” he explains. “They are able to cover the small amount of grafting work that
we do now.”
Any of the three grafting styles – either cleft, side, or whip – will work, Bettiga maintains. “It’s really up to the grafting crew: what they are most familiar with and what they are able to guarantee for a success rate.”
Before a crew comes in, it is usually the responsibility of the vineyard to have the cane growth removed and the vine cut off at the agreed height. “That part of the prep is up to the vineyard,” Bettiga says. “The crew will leave you with the completed graft covered in black tree seal.”
The first follow-up job will often be to paint that black seal
LEFT
Close-up of a graft at the Arterra Wines vineyard in the Okanagan Valley.
white to avoid the graft area getting too hot. The second task will be to monitor the vines for sap bleeding and making small slash cuts, if needed, to remove the pressure. “You don’t want the mature root system pumping too much sap into that graft area and forcing the join apart,” Bettiga cautions.
Training the new shoots is critical, he says. “It is very important to watch those young buds for growth and as soon as they can reach, tie them onto the trellis wires. The tender shoots are very vulnerable to tearing in the wind as they grow larger.”
Irrigation and nutrient schedules will need to be adjusted, as the new shoots have different needs than a fully mature vine. If all goes well, the grafted grapes could be harvested at the end of the second year.
Osborne explains that the block of grafts on the Arterra winery’s Chenin Blanc vines only had a 65 per cent success rate, leaving many of the vines with a straggly look. During the field day, he pulls out a short pruning saw and proceeds to cut one vine completely off, several inches below the graft union. It seems a bit drastic until he explains.
“The marketing department,” Osborne says with a grin. “They have decided we should use some Chenin Blanc grapes again, so we are chopping off all of the grafts and taking them back to the original variety.” •
Virus concerns limit grafter’s options
As the incidence of leafroll and red blotch viruses spreads across North American vineyards, viticulturists are pausing their grafting plans. VineTech Canada CEO Wes Wiens says the company is recommending that growers not graft at the present time, until testing of mature vines is more complete and clean material can be sourced from certified nurseries.
In order for a grafting job to be successful, both the parent vine and the scion wood need to be virus-free, Larry Bettiga, viticulture farm advisor with the University of California, cautions. “You have to test both your vines and the source of your grafting canes for viruses,” he says. “At the least, certain viruses and varietal and rootstock combinations will make the graft incompatible and it will not take. At the worst, you are spreading the virus through your vineyard.”
There are currently three Canadian nurseries that have received interim certification from the Canadian Grapevine Certification Network (CGCN). This means that they are able to offer stock of select varietals that is certified free from Grapevine Leafroll associated Virus 1 and 3, Grapevine Red Blotch Virus, and Pinot Gris Virus. See https:// www.cgcn-rccv.ca/site/grapevine-certification-interim.
Canadian growers also have the option of sourcing material from the U.S. or Europe, but should be aware that not all certification programs are equal.
“Growers need to read into the program,” says Darien Temprile, project manager for the CGCN. “Some nurseries may not be testing for red blotch like CGCN is, and propagation and shipment of grapevines is considered to be a high-risk pathway for the movement of plant pests. Always ask your nursery what viruses they are screening for.”
Core facts about new apple variety
The University of Guelph’s Simcoe Research Station’s Providence is a new red-fleshed apple for the cider and processing industry.
BY JOHN CLINE
A new apple cultivar developed by the University of Guelph is set to paint the cider and processing industries red.
The new apple cultivar, “Providence,” has very red flesh, which produces crimson-coloured juice for cider, jams and jellies. It was tested as “B17Crab7” for nearly 20 years and has several unique features well-suited for the apple cider and processing industries.
ORIGIN
Providence was bred and developed by John A. Cline, professor of pomology and tree fruit physiology with the University of Guelph, at the Simcoe Research Station in southwestern Ontario. It originated from an open-pollinated cross conducted in 2000, with the Empire apple as female parent. Seeds from the offspring were germinated and the seedlings were transplanted to an orchard in 2002.
One selection, numbered “B17Crab7,” was selected for its fruit qualities and propagated onto clonal M.26 rootstock for further evaluation. Trees were then planted in 2007 in replicated and
ABOVE
randomized fashion of two trees per plot with other crab apple selections, as well as the reference cultivars for further evaluation. Several trees have been grafted on dwarfing rootstock and, as of 2015, are in production at the Simcoe Research Station.
Providence has been grown for over 10 years, providing consistent results. The tree is consistent in size and growth habit, and the fruit has been consistent in size, shape, flavour and colour characteristics annually. No variants or off-types were observed during the cultivar’s development.
TREE
The tree is relatively vigorous, with a spreading growth habit. It typically flowers in mid-May in Simcoe, Ont., with prolific deep pink blossoms. Early in development, spur leaves are red in colour, which later – along with extension leaves – change to green with red veins and petiols. The bark of younger shoots also has red colouring.
Trees have yielded up to 100 kilograms of fruit per tree from 11-year-old trees on M.26 rootstock. Crop load ranged from 16 to 32 fruits per centimetre squared of trunk cross-sectional area.
Cross-section of Providence showing the red mesocarp and red seeds.
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ABOVE
Close-up of flowers, showing the red colour of spur leaves and developing extension leaves, and the shoot apex.
BELOW
Freshly pressed juice from Providence in a 20-litre carboy, ready for fermentation into cider. Juice retains its crimson colour when fermented alone as a single varietal.
FRUIT
The Providence apple is unique for its distinct red-purple skin, ovoid shape and red flesh. Fruit are plum-shaped, have long pedicels, and range in size from 20 to 43 grams when trees are not thinned. Each spur regularly sets two or four fruits, which mature in late August to early September in Simcoe. Providence is cold-hardy to at least zone 6a, having survived at the Simcoe Research Station for well over 15 years without any notable winter injury. (Crab apples are generally considered very winter hardy.)
In Simcoe, Providence has been grown in a conventionally managed orchard with no notable pest and disease susceptibilities. However, resistances to fire blight, apple scab, woolly apple aphid or powdery mildew are unknown, as they have yet to be evaluated.
The fruit produces a distinct crimson red juice, which maintains this colour when fermented. Extracted juice is high in acidity, has a Brix percentage of around 12 per cent, is high in polyphenols, has an astringent and bitter flavour, and good colour stability following fermentation. The juice is classified as a “bittersharp” using the Long-Ashton Research Station cider classification system.
POTENTIAL DEVELOPMENT
Providence has several potential uses. The most obvious is for producing red-fleshed juice with high acidity and tannins for the cider industry. Craft cider makers in Ontario who have created test-batches with Providence have reacted positively.
The variety has also been used experimentally to create non-alcoholic juice products for the beverage industry. It also makes an excellent tangy, crabapple jelly with bright, clear colour. As well, the fruit is a rich source of antioxidants (flavonoids, flavanols, and anthocyanins).
Canadian Plant Breeders Rights were applied for in the summer of 2020. The University of Guelph, owner of the Providence cultivar, is currently negotiating licenses with nurseries showing interest.
Interested in Providence? Contact Rattan Gill, manager of technology transfer in the University of Guelph’s Research Innovation Office, at (519) 824-4120, ext. 58878, or at rattang@uoguelph.ca. •
ORGANIC PERSPECTIVE
STUART OKE AND DAVID COHLMEYER
Understanding costs of production
For more than a year, the Organic Council of Ontario (OCO) has investigated the costs of production for certified organic producers in an attempt to better understand the different variables that affect organic production. Following extensive consultation with organic producers, involving thorough financial analysis and comparative benchmark development, OCO has now released a
“Higher
pay rates for more effective and experienced workers typically resulted in lower labour costs as a percentage of total costs.”
Cost of Production Series (COP), profiling a diverse range of organic products including:
• ●Organic salad greens;
• ●Organic field crops;
• ●Pastured organic poultry; and
• ●Organic dairy.
“There are more than 3.2 million acres in Certified Organic production in Canada, but surprisingly few resources to assist organic operators in assessing their profitability,” says Carolyn Young, OCO executive director.
This user-friendly series available through the OCO gives organic operators, transitioning operators and those considering switching to
organic production a baseline from which to measure their own costs of production and farm product profitability. Each report contains thorough environmental scans, methodologies, analysis, and observations, as well as guides for readers to better learn how to make use of the data presented for their own benefit. A cost-of-production calculator is included for each crop type, allowing operators to input their own financial data and measure it against the studied benchmarks.
Below, we’ve provided a summary of one of the reports included in the series that was written by OCO board member, long-time organic producer and consultant, David Cohlmeyer.
The organic salad greens COP model allows a producer from a working market garden to use budget figures to determine their approximate full costs of production for organic salad greens. This can be used by either large- or small-scale growers, for seasonal outdoor production, with or without season-extension hoop-houses, and/or year-round greenhouse production that includes microgreens. It could also be modified to work for additional market garden vegetables. The results can serve as a valuable guide for business decision-making and understanding elements of profitability.
