Valent Adds Two New Uses For Tree Fruit Crop Load Management
March 27, 2014 Valent U.S.A. Corporation announced that ReTain plant growth regulator for California has been registered by the California Department of Pesticide Regulation for cherry fruit set, and that PoMaxa plant growth regulator has also been registered for use in California on apples and pears for crop load management. These new registrations are part of a growing Valent portfolio that provides tree fruit growers with valuable solutions for enhanced fruit production, improved quality and harvest management.
ReTain, which was already registered for apple, pear, stone fruit, and walnut in California, is now the only product registered in cherries for increased fruit set by extending the pollination window.
ReTain delays ethylene production in cherry flowers, extending their viability and increasing the opportunity for successful pollination and fertilization. The extended viability typically lasts 1–3 days, depending on temperature conditions.
“Because of the low chilling hours and protracted bloom that California cherry orchards often receive, ReTain should be an excellent fit in this market,” said Tino Lopez, commercial development representative for the Valent biorational business unit.
ReTain is most effective on difficult-to-set varieties such as Brooks, Corals, and Chelans, and under poor pollinating conditions with good setting varieties such as Bings, Lopez added.
“Third-party trials have shown that ReTain increases set in these varieties from 37% to 259% in California,” Lopez said.
“The use of ReTain for fruit set in cherries has been an effective tool for cherry production in other parts of the country,” said Jim Hansen, marketing manager for the Valent biorational business unit. “This registration in California gives growers there the same opportunity to benefit from ReTain.”
With the addition of ReTain for use on sweet cherries and the recent acquisition of RainGard fruit cracking suppressant, Valent continues to expand its portfolio of solutions for the cherry industry. This portfolio also includes Chateau herbicide, Danitol insecticide, DiPel biological insecticide, ProGibb plant growth regulator and Zeal miticide.
One of the latest additions to an already extensive Valent lineup of pome fruit products, PoMaxa offers growers the convenience of multiple uses in a single, easy-to-use formulation.
A potent auxin-based product, PoMaxa enhances the thinning effect of MaxCel plant growth regulator and extends the harvest management period that ReTain provides for apple and pear growers in California.
“PoMaxa helps manage crop load in apples and pears in two ways,” Hansen added. “In the spring, PoMaxa helps reduce fruit load — or thins — to maximize in-season fruit size and improve return bloom the following seasons. Near harvest, PoMaxa works with ReTain to maintain fruit firmness and prevent fruit drop, allowing for better harvest management.”
“These new registrations for ReTain and PoMaxa further underline Valent’s unrivaled commitment to providing tree fruit growers with effective, cutting-edge solutions,” Hansen said. “We take great pride in our role as a leader in this market, and we will continue developing tools to solve our customers’ biggest challenges and help them reach — and exceed — their goals.”
Source: Valent U.S.A.
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