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Our Avocado Knowledge

Our Technical Horticultural Representatives and stores are present in the main avocado growing regions in the North Island.

Fruitfed Supplies also launched its avocado monitoring programme in 1997 and is now the largest certified Avogreen monitoring operator, a programme administered by New Zealand Avocados. AvoGreen monitoring is based on integrated pest management principles to help growers use suitable crop protection products and improve pack-out.


 Avocado Tech-Know Tips ForNovember/December

Avocado Technical TipsAvocado Technical Tips
  • There are several options to control leafroller including Delfin WG, Proclaim and Prodigy. Be aware of pre-harvest intervals (PHI) if harvesting.Protect frost-prone orchards where needed. 

  • November brings 100 percent petal-fall, fruit-set and fruit drop, while December is the month for more citrus fruit drop and foliar flush. Maintain adequate irrigation to assist with fruit-set. For satsuma mandarins, chemical thinning can be undertaken using NAA/ANA. Most varieties, except limes and satsuma mandarins, are being harvested so be aware of product pre-harvest intervals prior to application.
Avocado Technical TipsAvocado Technical Tips
  • Control six-spotted mites with Mit é Mec or Avid plus Excel Organic Oil, which can be used alone on organic orchards.
  • Control options for greenhouse thrips include Sparta, Excel Organic Oil or a pyrethroid. Fyfanon has a very long PHI (84 days) which prevents its use if close to harvest.
  • If mites are present, control with Mit é Mec or Excel Organic Oil.
  • Wet spring weather facilitates the development of fungal diseases like scab and melanose. Manage both with applications of Kocide Opti or Pristine.

Knowledge Hub | The Latest Avocado News

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Fertigation boosts productivity in Northland avocado orchard

Fertigation boosts productivity in Northland avocado orchard

Looking to be involved with an orchard from its development through to full production, Nick Common joined Harbour Edge...
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Biological control options for fungal infections in horticultural crops

Biological control options for fungal infections in horticultural crops

Fungal infections come with summer’s warm, wet conditions and are devastating for crops. Botrytis infections in grapes,...
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Katikati orchardist expands organic business

Katikati orchardist expands organic business

Katikati Orchardist Adam Alexander had plans to train as a secondary school teacher when two things happened.
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Fruitfed Supplies avocado monitoring expands northward

Fruitfed Supplies avocado monitoring expands northward

When Fruitfed Supplies launched its avocado monitoring programme in 1997, it was a joint venture called AvoGreen with the...
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Our Citrus Knowledge

The Fruitfed Supplies team in Hawke's Bay, Bay of Plenty, Gisborne, and Northland offer product knowledge and support to orange, mandarin, grapefruit, and lime growers.

Crop monitoring is also an important part of Fruitfed Supplies' offering to the citrus industry. Timely pests and disease monitoring goes hand in hand with our Technical Horticultural Representatives' crop management recommendations and accurate reporting for accurate decision making and auditing purposes.


Citrus Tech-Know Tips For May & June

  • During winter, early to mid-season navel oranges are being harvested, so continue to check navel BrimA readings. Grapefruit, lemons, tangelos and some satsumas are also at maturity. Afourer harvesting starts late August and mandarins reach maturity.
  • After harvest, pruning becomes a key
    orchard activity. Avoid pruning in wet
    weather and maintain tool hygiene to help
    prevent spreading pathogens, such as
    those causing brown rot, between trees.
  • Continue monitoring for mites during
    harvest. If the threshold is reached, control
    with mineral oil. Do not use mineral oil 14
    days either side of a Captan application.
  • Winter wet weather can produce prime conditions for the development of brown rot when spores splash up from soil onto fruit. Mature fruit are most at risk, particularly those close to the ground, so pruning low skirts of trees during winter pruning will reduce this risk. Continue applications of brown rot preventatives such as coppers like Tri-Base Blue®, or products like Dithane® Rainshield™ NeoTec if pre-harvest, or Fruitfed Captan if post-harvest. Pay attention to the pre-harvest interval if close to harvest.
  • Melanose is a major problem on navels, especially in the Kerikeri area. It can be controlled with Tri-Base Blue or Pristine®, which will also target scab.
  • Greenhouse thrips may still be present. Monitor regularly and control as required to manage the populations. Options include Fyfanon® or mineral oil but be aware that oil applied post-flowering may delay satsuma brix and colouring.

Here's The Latest Citrus News From Our Knowledge Hub

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A key component in effective disease prevention

A key component in effective disease prevention

Trusted for nearly 20 years, Pristine by BASF protects grapes, citrus, pipfruit, and vegetables from major diseases like...
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Fertigation supports growth of fruit crops

Fertigation supports growth of fruit crops

Over the winter months, a good number of the Fruitfed Supplies Technical Horticultural field team participated in training...
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Busy horticultural crop monitoring season underway

Busy horticultural crop monitoring season underway

Fruitfed Supplies Crop Monitors are hard at work all over New Zealand at this time of year, looking for pests, diseases and...
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Scholarship winner's keen involvement in horticulture

Scholarship winner's keen involvement in horticulture

The 2021 recipient of the Massey University Fruitfed Supplies Horticulture Scholarship, Dylan Hall, has grown up surrounded...
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