Growing Better Grapes
Advance Bud development
PiNT Calcium can be applied as a foliar spray to increase the size and health of buds and speed up their development. The product can be used alone, or alongside chemical treatments, which are often harsh and damage the vine. Use of Impact Plus will counteract the ‘stress’ caused by chemical forcing of buds.Hold more flowers
Flowering causes a major change in the hormone balance of the tree. If the plant encounters stress conditions during this time the plant will abort flowers. Speedo Balance can prevent flower abortion by maintaining a favourable balance during flowering – this will result in higher set and retention of flowers.Improve Fruit Quality
Fruit quality is determined when fruit is 1-3mm in size whilst cells are actively dividing. Quality problems are often not seen until later stage when the cells are expanding, by this time it is too late to improve cell division, and treatment involves improving cell wall thickness to delay or hide the problem.InCa improves quality by stimulating cell division and supplying supplemental calcium to improve membrane and cell wall integrity. This improves the shape and size of the bunch later in the season. It also produces a more even size distribution of grapes within the bunch.
Produce a more even crop
When bunches are developing the quality is adversely affected if conditions lead to rapid shoot growth. This rapid shoot development acts as a sink for food, and ‘robs’ the fruit of food leading to uneven sizing, and fruit abortion.Speedo Saxon encourages the sugars made in the leaves to move to the fruit, decreases shoot growth, and boosts root growth. This creates larger and more evenly sized crop, and allows the vine to hold and size more bunches.
Size fruit and Increase Soluble Solids
Speedo Saxon can be used three weeks prior to harvest to increase the flow of photosynthates to the fruit. This increases soluble solids, and sugars, and improves yield.Improve performance where there is salinity or poor water quality
PiNT Calcium reduces sodium uptake, allowing better growth when using poor quality irrigation water. The product will also improve the soil structure of saline and sodic soils.Reverse decline in aging vines
Decline is often characteristic of a gradual movement towards ‘top dominance’ accompanied by a gradual decrease in the calcium levels of the root and woody tissue of the vine.Aging crops that are starting to decline in yield, and are showing increased root disease incidence will benefit from application of PiNT Calcium which improves root growth and health. Healthy actively growing roots are less susceptible to disease and nematode attack.
Improve growth during high and low temperatures
During cool or hot temperatures the crops ability to synthesise growth hormones declines disproportionately to give a slow-down in development, and often a quality reduction. Normal balance can be restored by application of InCa to give improved growth and quality during temperature extremes.Strengthen the crop for next season
Speedo Saxon can be used post harvest to force nutrients and sugars in the leaf to move into the woody tissue prior to leaf drop. This gives the vine a better start to the following season, when leaving dormancy.Extend Shelf Life
Shelf life of fruit is controlled by ethylene, which encourages the breakdown of compounds that bind together the cells in the fruit, and weakens cell walls.InCa or Impact Calcium can increase calcium, this makes the fruit less susceptible to ethylene following harvest – thus increasing shelf-life and improving other quality aspects.
Rates and Recommendations for Grapes:
PiNT CalciumSoil Application rate: up-to 300L/Ha per season split into applications of 25-50L. Minimum 1-10 dilution in water. PiNT Calcium is suitable for drip irrigation.
Foliar Application rate: 5-10 L/Ha, or 1% spray solution and spray till run-off, avoid spraying during direct sunlight.
Timing: For General use 30 day intervals from flowering, until harvest.
Root disorders - soil apply 25-50 L as early in the season as possible. Impact Calcium can be applied during dormant period.
PiNT Potassium
Soil application – Up to 100l/Ha/season split into applications of 10-30L.
Foliar application – 5-10L/Ha or 1% spray solution (spray to run off).
Timing: 30 day intervals from small fruit until harvest.
Speedo Balance
Application Rate – 2 L/Ha.
Timing: Apply when plants are growing aggressively. Repeat after 14 days if necessary.
Speedo Saxon
Application Rate – Foliar – 2-3L/Ha in minimum 100 litres of water. Alternatively use a 0.5% spray solution and spray until run-off. Avoid spraying in direct sun.
Timing: Apply at flowering and again when fruit is 1-5mm to hold and bulk more fruit.
InCa
Application Rate – 1L/Ha either as a foliar spray (minimum 100L water spray volume) or through drip irrigation or fertigation systems.
Timing: For temperature stress - apply at 20 day intervals during periods of extreme high and or low temperatures or foliar spray when fruit is 1-5mm to reduce physiological disorders
