'Xenia', a new pear cultivar from Moldava, first results in the Netherlands

The pear cultivar `Xenia¿ (synonym `Noiabriskaia¿) from Moldova is a selection from a cross between `Triomphe de Vienne¿ and `Nicolai Krier¿. In The Netherlands, `Xenia¿ has been tested since 2001. So far, trees have given early and high yields and required little thinning. Up to now, a very low to moderate susceptibility to scab (Venturia pirinia) and a very low susceptibility to fruit tree canker (Nectria galligena) have been observed. The trees showed a medium vigour and there was a low tendency to biennial bearing. With the relatively young trees, the average fruit size of `Xenia¿ fruits at full crop was 250-300 g. The harvest window was wide. Fruits of `Xenia¿ had a green ground colour at harvest and were moderately bronzed. `Xenia¿ had a spherical pear shape. The fruits had a strong fruit skin. The firmness was higher than that of `Conference¿. The juiciness varied from juicy to very juicy, depending on the maturity stage. `Xenia¿ had a good eating quality: fresh, slightly aromatic with a typical aroma. The storability of the fruits was very good and the shelf life of `Xenia¿ proved to be much better than of `Conference¿. Summarizing, the first results show a good potential for commercial fruit growing

Krymsk®1 (VVA-1), A dwarfing rootstock suitable for high density plum orchards in the Netherlands

Krymsk®:1 (Prunus tomentosa × Prunus cerasifera) was selected by Gennady Eremin at the Krymsk Breeding Station in Russia in 1966. Since 1994, it has been tested as a rootstock for several plum cultivars in The Netherlands. Graft compatibility was good for scion cultivars ‘Avalon’, ‘Excalibur’, ‘Jubileum’, ‘Opal’, and ‘Victoria’. Growth and production efficiency of plum on Krymsk®:1 was compared with that of plum on St. Julien A and, depending on the cultivar, also with Ferlenain, Otesani 8 and Pixy. With all cultivars, trees on rootstock Krymsk®:1 were by far the least vigorous, most precocious, and most production efficient. The production efficiency of ‘Avalon’ and ‘Excalibur’ on Krymsk®:1 grown for 10 years was 0.41 and 0.26 kg/cm² trunk cross sectional area, respectively, 3.4 and 4.3 times higher on Krymsk®:1 than on St. Julien A. With ‘Opal’ the production efficiency calculated over the first 5 years after planting was 2 to 3 times higher than on St. Julien A, but this difference became non significant after 7 years of cultivation. This was due to the much higher increase in production per tree during the 5th and 6th leaf of the trees on St. Julien A than on Krymsk®:1. Fruit size of ‘Opal’, ‘Avalon’ and ‘Excalibur’ was similar for trees grown on Krymsk®:1 and St. Julien A. With ‘Victoria’ fruit size was significantly larger (5 g) with Krymsk®:1 than with St. Julien A. Krymsk®:1 also increased the percentage of first pick by 15%, the sugar content by 9%, enhanced the development of fruit overcolour and reduced the percentage of fruits with gummosis in ‘Victoria’ plums. Dutch fruit growers show great interest in Krymsk®:1 as a rootstock for plum, as this rootstock makes high density plum orchards feasible. Growers switching to trees on Krymsk®1 have to take more care of their trees, especially in the first years after planting. Pruning, irrigation, and fertilization of the trees need much more attention in order to keep the trees vigorous and ensure good production levels. From 2002 to spring 2008, 120,000 plum trees on Krymsk®1 have been planted in The Netherlands and planting densities have increased from 830 up to 2,285 trees/ha. The main cultivar planted is ‘Victoria’

Contribution of fruit research in the developments in Dutch fresh fruit chain

Due to the poor financial results of the fruit industry in the last decade, the changing trade structures and more consumer-driven fruit chains, Dutch fruit growers change their market behaviour. In these circumstances, the fruit industry itself and the applied fruit research are also changing. Applied Plant Research (PPO-Fruit) is involved in different projects related to consumer-driven fruit chain development and their side effects on fruit growers and firms. The purpose of this paper is to describe two projects about new Dutch fruit chains in which PPO-Fruit is involved and their impact on fruit growers and research. The projects are: a special variety chain, based on the Dutch apple variety Santana, which is scab resistant (Vf) and a regional crop chain ¿Betuwe framboos¿, (= Betuwe raspberry). It is clear that being part of a fruit chain means another way of working for the fruit growers and the other partners as well. They have to work according growing recipes and also recipes/procedures for other activities, like storage, packaging. This means a decrease of independence for the growers. PPO-Fruit works as a facilitator, a knowledge centre and executes experiments to solve new problem

Knelpunten in werkgeverschap en mogelijkheden tot verbetering : een participatief traject, doorlopen door fruittelers en onderzoekers

In het onderhavige onderzoek is het ‘people aspect’ van duurzaam en innovatief ondernemerschap verder onderzocht. Het doel was een tool te ontwikkelen waarmee werkgevers in de agrarische sector hun werkgeverschap in brede zin (arbeidsorganisatie, omgang met personeel, arbeidsomstandigheden en binden van het personeel aan het bedrijf) kunnen verbeteren. Het onderzoek is in twee fasen uitgevoerd, waarbij in de eerste fase nader gespecificeerd is welke aspecten van het werkgeverschap de belangrijkste knelpunten veroorzaken. Aansluitend is in de tweede fase in een interactief probleemoplossend traject met fruittelers op de gevonden knelpunten rondom het onderwerp ‘werkgeverschap’, doorlopen. Tevens hebben telers zelf nog onderwerpen aangedragen waarbij behoefte was aan kennis of vaardigheden

Rassenproef zwarte bessen 2011-2014

Vanaf 2011 heeft het Praktijkonderzoek Plant & Omgeving (PPO) sector Fruit te Randwijk het rassenonderzoek met zwarte bessen gedurende vier jaren voortgezet. Het doel is (nieuwe) rassen te zoeken en te toetsen onder Nederlandse (Zeeuwse) teeltomstandigheden, die een verbetering kunnen zijn van de huidige rassen voor wat betreft de productiviteit, de beskwaliteit en de gevoeligheid voor ziekten en plagen. Dit rapport is het eindverslag van het project dat eind 2014 is afgelopen

Naar een meer duurzame, gezonde en natuurlijke teelt van zachtfruit : Verslag van een verkenning naar meer duurzame, milieuvriendelijke en gezonde teelt van zachtfruit op bedrijfsniveau

Verkenning naar meer duurzame, milieuvriendelijke en gezonde teelt van zachtfruit op bedrijfsniveau

Verantwoorde en communiceerbare argumenten bij biologische producten: milieueffecten

Het project ‘Verantwoorde en communiceerbare argumenten bij biologische producten’ bestaat uit vijf deelprojecten/aandachtsgebieden: veiligheid, gezondheid en smaak; dierenwelzijn; milieu; biodiversiteit, natuur en landschap; klimaat, broeikasgassen en waterberging. In dit rapport worden de onderdelen milieu, eindige grondstoffen, broeikasgassen en watergebruik behandel

Elektrische snoeischaar geeft nauwelijks klachten

Onderzoekers van Wageningen UR hebben onderzocht welke snoeischaar de minste gezondheidsklachten geeft aan hand en arm. Gegevens in bijgaande tabellen: 1) Kenmerken van zeven geteste scharen; 2) Eindoordeel van zeven geteste scharen op spieractiviteit, schokbelasting, ervaren kracht, snoeiprestatie, snoeikwaliteit, handligging en bedienbaarheid, drukpunten en pijn in de hand, geluid, bewegingsvrijheid en ervaren veilighei