New Pome, Citrus Thinning Tool Approved

By Growing Produce Staff|March 24, 2015

A plant growth regulator used for thinning apples, pears, olives, and numerous citrus crops is now available to growers.

Fine Americas, Inc., a manufacturer and marketer of plant growth regulators for the fruit industry, announced Monday the federal Section 3 registration of its new Refine™ plant growth regulator. Refine features the active ingredient naphthaleneacetic acid (NAA) and is labeled for use on apples, pears, olives, and such citrus crops as oranges, tangerines, mandarins, tangelos, and tangors.

“Refine is a proven plant growth regulator for fruit thinning and control of pre-harvest drop in apples and pears,” explained Greg Johnson, president of Fine Americas. “In both crops, it serves as an effective chemical thinning agent for reducing fruit set during heavy-bearing years while promoting increased fruit size. In addition, a late-season application of Refine (7 to 14 days prior to harvest) can lead to higher yields by reducing losses caused by premature fruit drop from windfall and knockdown.”

Jim Scruggs, technical services manager for Fine, noted “Refine also can be used to promote return bloom in apples during ‘off years,’ especially in certain alternate-bearing varieties such as Fuji, Jonagold, Mutsu, Braeburn, and Golden Delicious. This feature allows apple growers to meet market demands on a more consistent basis.”

“Refine will assume a prominent place in our growing portfolio of PGRs for the fruit industry,” Johnson concluded. “Along with our other products, including Blush, Exilis Plus, Falgro, Kudos, Motivate, Novagib, and Perlan, Refine will play an important role in helping growers produce the highest quality crops in the most efficient manner possible.”