Methods of dealing with the cracking of cherries.

Cracking of cherries is one of the major problems faced by farmers in cultivation of this berry.

A lot of commercial berry producers of lost cherry. A number of protective measures from covering plantings with a protective film before the special machinery.

The main reason for the cracking is the skin of the fruit absorption of rainwater, dew or fog (the appearance of micro-cracks near the stalk). Cracks appear on top of fruit in place of the overhang drops of water, which is typical of the sort of Lapis. The fruits are cracking in places which the longest was wet, or where soak up excess moisture. Another reason for cracking of fruits - quick excessive water absorption by the root system of the tree, mainly due to heavy rain after a drought (large cracks on the side of the fetus). After the long rains before the harvest more fruit cracks near the stalk at the top, and one day of rain during a prolonged dry weather is provoking the appearance of cracks on the side of the fruit.
Based on the reasons, there are several ways to prevent cracking.First of all select the resistant to cracking varieties, paying attention to the thickness of the skin, the number of prodigal per unit area of its surface, the density of the pulp and period of ripening.
It is believed that with regular water supply plantings of cherries the number of cracked fruits less. This is easier to achieve on loamy soils with high vazodilataciei ability where water is regularly supplied to the fruit through the peduncle and on light soils supesonic their water supply is irregular.
To prevent cracking the cherry orchard in the rain or in front of him obraschayut calcium chloride. In this way increase the concentration of salt on the skin, reducing the fruit osmotique pressure. However, if the rain will not sing for the salt haze before the harvest, the products will become less attractive and lose the harmony of taste. In General, the use of calcium chloride reduces cracking of fruits only a few percent.

In Belgium and Germany TRISTANIA fruit reduce processing trees drugs Protocol, Fertilizer 469 and Platina. Protocol moisturizes the skin of the fruit, Fertilizer - strengthens the plant, but the best effect is Platinum, which improves the elasticity of the skin. Significantly fewer tests were conducted with prepare Rapalo and Pre-Tekt. The number patrascanu fruit to some extent depends on the load of trees fruit in Australia causes much greater influence than obrobka chemicals.

Protocol maintains a constant hydration of the rind of the fruit, so water is not so quickly it is absorbed, although in one season cracking is less and another more. On root water absorption the drug has no effect, but after the rain handling them treccani fruit increases. Significantly less risk of cracking after treatment with Frutarom on supesonic soils and loamy to apply it is not recommended.

Usually make 2-4 spray Rustolem a dosage of 20L/ha from beginning of fruit colouring until harvest (utilization rate of the working solution of 1000 l/ha). Treat dry trees, and 1-2 days after rain spraying repeats. During prolonged rainfall, the period is treated after 5 days after the end of precipitation.
Half reduces the number of cracked fruits of black cherry Platinum is a foliar fertilizer based on natural amino acids, which are used in Western Europe. After treatment increases the sugar content and fruit size and accelerated ripening, which is especially desired for early sweet cherry varieties. Prone to cracking of the sweet cherry variety, for example, Schneider poznaa, treated in a phase reddening of the fruits (3-4 weeks before harvest), and varieties that crack before tax (Kordia) for 10-14 days before harvest. Generally, the trees sprayed with the onset of the straw color of the skin of the fruit, and during ripening at least three hours before the rain.
Platinum is used not longer than 4 times per season, because after such treatments the rind of the fruit becomes thinner. Not recommended to be late with fee of the harvest, because the drug speeds up the ripening a bit. It is usually doing 2-3 times with 7-10 day interval before repeating the spraying ozhidaemym the rain if previous treatment has been more than five days.

Spain produce Platinum 75 of the active substance content of 75g/l, in the Netherlands - 33 Platinum, and in other countries, Platinum 50 (50g/l). Taking into account the thickness of the skin in the process of maturation, the dose for the first treatment take a maximum of 1.5 l/ha 50 Platinum (or 2.25 litres/ha Platinum 33), and 10 days before harvest (tonisha peel) it is reduced to 1 l/ha 50 Platinum (1.5 l/ha Platinum 33). Rekomendovany the highest doses used for significant threat to cracking of the fruit. Apply a large amount of the working solution and do not mix the drug with other agrochemicals.

Fertilizer 469 in Belgium used a dose of 5 l/ha 2-4 weeks before harvest.
Way counter is the drying of fruit after rain powerful fan garden sprayer.
The above methods protect against cracking of sweet cherries by reducing water absorption peel of the fruit. Significant losses from heavy rains after a drought prevents the rational irrigation for the cherry orchard. When necronom irrigation more damaged fruit is near the stalk and at the top, and podkranovogo stimulates so nazyvaemogo cracking.
Covering is the most effective but most expensive method of protection against cracking, which is economically justified in plantings with significant crops of fruit of high quality. Specialized firms offer cost covering hectares of garden of 30-50 thousand euros. Design should be sturdy and not too heavy, to protect the sides of the rows of birds, a material to pass air and to limit the penetration of sunlight, and the installation and disassembly must be easy and fast. With high productivity costs will be repaid within 5 years. The harvest can be a bit prepoznati (the fruit size will increase by 2mm.), and poznaniye varieties to sell at the end of the season to the highest bidder.

Boris Karabanov ,a member of the Club Sirius Agro Plant