Post-harvest fertilization: how to intervene?

For a correct and productive management of the orchard it is important to pay great attention to the cultivation practices that follow the time of harvest, the care of the orchard, in fact, does not end in this phase and must continue even in the autumn months.

In spring, the vegetative restart takes place at the expense of the reserve nitrogenous substances, accumulated in the previous year in the woody organs of the plant (roots, stem, branches, branches) and reassembled in the form of amino acids towards the buds that are hatching, according to a mechanism known as the "internal nitrogen cycle".   As a result, most of the nitrogen present in the newly formed buds and flowers comes from the reserve organs.  Shortly before phyllophosis, nitrogen migrates from the leaves to the reserve organs, where it accumulates again in the form of amino acids that will be used at vegetative growth. In post-harvest (late summer-early autumn), nitrogen is mainly used for the restoration of reserves in woody organs.  The 25% of the nitrogen absorbed by the plant is assimilated before the winter rest and used for the constitution of the nitrogen reserves in the woody organs.

The autumn fertilization is therefore fundamental and has as its main objective the increase of the reserve substances that will cover the needs of the plant until late flowering.

 

THE AGRIGES STRATEGY

The fertilization strategy suggested by Agriges has two objectives: the first is to allow the accumulation of reserve substances that will allow the plant to prepare for an excellent vegetative growth, the second is to respond to current fertilization specifications that aim to reduce the total quantities of nitrogen supplied with fertilizers by increasing their efficiency of use and limiting the known disadvantages characterized by economic waste, leaching of nitrates into the ground, excessive vegetative development of plants.

Depending on the species and the variety cultivated, Agriges suggests two different fertilization strategies in post-harvest:

1.         In the case of species and varieties with a later harvest, in which the days devoted exclusively to the accumulation of reserve substances are limited, it suggests the contribution of nitrogen by foliar way, which guarantees a prompt absorption of the element.

2.         In the case of species and varieties harvested earlier, in which therefore the days dedicated to the accumulation of reserves is greater, suggests the use of organic fertilizers on the ground, which ensure a constant availability of nitrogen, a good ratio of nitrate ion to ammonium ion and an increase in other nutrients and organic carbon in soil.

 

FOLIAR FERTILIZATION: WHICH PRODUCTS?

Among the nitrogenous formulations, urea is to be preferred due to the high nitrogen content, the good solubility shown in a wide pH range and, above all, for its apolar chemical nature that gives a good affinity with the waxes in which it solubilizes, allowing an easy crossing of the leaf cuticle. If urea is used, it must be free of biuret, a phytotoxic by-product produced during the synthesis of urea.

For the fertilization in post-harvest Agriges recommends the product Post R, a foliar fertilizer based on nitrogen at 19% (urea 18%) plus microelements and very low content of biuret.

Within Post R is the triptych of algae technology RyZea, which promotes leaf absorption and conveys nutrients inside the leaf. The product is ideal to promote the accumulation of reserve substances inside the plant tissues before the vegetative rest, ensuring optimal vegetative recovery in spring. The presence of microelements already within the formulation prevents the farmer from adding them to technical urea.

The very low content in biuret, lower than that of technical urea, prevents any possible phenomenon of phytotoxicity ensuring effective nutrition that prepares the plant for an optimal spring recovery.

 

 

SOIL FERTILIZATION: WHICH PRODUCTS?

For soil fertilization in post-harvest Agriges offers the products of the Petro line, based on highly humified organic substance and rich in microbial flora beneficial for the soil, humic acids and fulvic acids.

These are characterized by the presence of three different raw materials that make them naturally "slow release", we talk about highly humified manure, vegetable matrices and valuable protein raw materials, this ensures a constant availability of nitrogen to the plant.

In addition, the presence of highly assimilable amino acids and a triptych of algae technology RyZea, provides nitrogen that is immediately moved to the reserve organs of the plant.

In addition, in each product of the line there is a percentage of calcium sulphate with acidifying and desalinating action of the soil.

 

 

 

From 2022 some products of the Petro line are enriched with a new microbial technology, against salinity and fatigue of soils. The heart of the technology is the presence of the exclusive Siderophore Bacteria, isolated and registered by Agriges within an international reference microbial collection (Bacillus megaterium S3Nb3) chelate iron and mobilize phosphorus making them available for the plant.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

AND TO ENCOURAGE THE MATURATION OF THE WOOD AND LEAF FALL?

The autumn fall of the leaves on the fruit trees and other plant species can be blocked and delayed both for reasons of varietal character and for climatic trends with mild temperatures in the post-harvest period.

The presence of the leaves implies the persistence of the vegetative activity with delays in the maturation of the wood and therefore greater sensitivity then to the winter/spring colds.

Moreover, for the nursery material (goshawks), there is also the need to be without leaves at the time of removal and this in order to avoid injuries from mechanical detachment of the leaves that cause the onset of fungal diseases and rottenness, as well as avoiding losses due to transpiration and parasitic attacks in the marketing phase and until replanting.

For these purposes Agriges offers the product RyZerre 10 SB, a product that, applied by foliar, promotes leaf fall and wood maturation. RyZerre 10 SB is a product containing 13.5% copper complexed by the molecules of the RyZea technology, which vehicle copper in a simpler and more timely way inside plant tissues.

 

 

 

Click here to download the brochure of Petro Line

Click here to download the Post R data sheet

Click here to download the RyZerre 10 SB data sheet