It was a mixed end to 2024, with some regions reporting excellent fruit quality and yields, while some locations were impacted by hail and rain damage late in the year.
However, a dry end to the southern growing regions improved yields, resulting in a 6 per cent increase in exported fruit year-on-year to a record 4,326 tonnes for the 2024/25 season.
According to published research, cherry characteristics that appeal most to consumers are size, colour, sweetness, firmness and juiciness.
Premio, by AgNova Technologies, is a nutritional specialty product that maximises fruit size and quality, while optimising cell membrane elasticity and permeability, which may assist in the reduction of fruit cracking.
A novel blend of essential nutrients and biostimulants, Premio is specifically formulated to supplement key fatty alcohols to the skin cuticle throughout the growing season.
Premio’s components are essential for phytohormones that promote fruit cell multiplication (cytokinesis), which assist with achieving the best fruit size and uniform colour development.
Dr Cameron Stone, AgNova’s Development Manager, said extensive local and international research showed trees treated with Premio had improved fruit set percentages, higher fruit quality parameters, such as stem pull and colour, and reductions in cracked fruit compared to untreated trees.
“Applying Premio early in the crop, from early fruit cell division, enables the maximum cell numbers per fruit to be produced.
“Therefore, at the later stages of fruit development and prior to harvest, water can be distributed among a greater number of cells, thereby reducing fruit susceptibility to cracking.”
Commence Premio applications from early fruit set onwards (i.e. BBCH 72: green ovary surrounded by dying sepal crown).
Continue applications at 10–15 day intervals, ensuring at least four applications are made within the season.
A final application 14 days prior to harvest is recommended.
Research and development continues on Premio’s compatibility with a range of common tank mix partners under netted and rain protected cropping environments; refer to the AgNova website for more information.
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