Article taken from National Fruit Show 2017 Handbook.
Those of you who attended our 2017 technical seminar at the beginning of the season will have listened to the youngest member of the team, Tom Johnson, discussing his mycorrhiza project.
Agrovista, in partnership with Plantworks, have been promoting the benefits of using mycorrhizal inoculant RGPro Horti when planting new orchards for several seasons.
The benefits of these soil-dwelling fungi are well established. They attach themselves to tree roots, enabling an enormous expansion of the system resulting in increased nutrient and water uptake as well as the potential to increase resistance to pathogens.
There are many mycorrhizal products on the market, mainly manufactured overseas. RGPro is produced in Kent and contains pure mycorrhiza only, using fungal strains isolated from UK soils. It is not blended with fertiliser, unlike many other products.
Until recently it has only been possible to apply RGPro during the planting of new orchards, incorporating it into the planting hole or using it as a root dip. Growers realise the benfits of using this product and have enquired whether it is possible to apply it to existing orchards.
Tom has developed a system that allows existing orchards to be inoculated and so benefit from RGPro. It provides extremely accurate dosing and is mounted on a root pruning machine. The product is delivered via 1 tube to the base of the pruning blade which may be inserted to the require j depth in the soil.
The product does not need to be in contact with the root, but merely deposited close to it as the roots and fungal hyphae are mutually attracted and so grow towards each other.
This operation will take the same amount of time as root-pruning orchard. It could be carried out as part of a root-pruning operation or, if such pruning is not required, as a straightforward inoculation system simply by adjusting the positioning of the blade.
Agrovista is offering the inoculation service in partnership with Loddington Farms, with Agrovista supplying the product and Loddington Farms the inoculation service. Tom will be available on the Agrovista stand to answer any questions you may have.
Visit Agrovista on stand K21 at the Show.
Those of you who attended our 2017 technical seminar at the beginning of the season will have listened to the youngest member of the team, Tom Johnson, discussing his mycorrhiza project.
Agrovista, in partnership with Plantworks, have been promoting the benefits of using mycorrhizal inoculant RGPro Horti when planting new orchards for several seasons.
The benefits of these soil-dwelling fungi are well established. They attach themselves to tree roots, enabling an enormous expansion of the system resulting in increased nutrient and water uptake as well as the potential to increase resistance to pathogens.
There are many mycorrhizal products on the market, mainly manufactured overseas. RGPro is produced in Kent and contains pure mycorrhiza only, using fungal strains isolated from UK soils. It is not blended with fertiliser, unlike many other products.
Until recently it has only been possible to apply RGPro during the planting of new orchards, incorporating it into the planting hole or using it as a root dip. Growers realise the benfits of using this product and have enquired whether it is possible to apply it to existing orchards.
Tom has developed a system that allows existing orchards to be inoculated and so benefit from RGPro. It provides extremely accurate dosing and is mounted on a root pruning machine. The product is delivered via 1 tube to the base of the pruning blade which may be inserted to the require j depth in the soil.
The product does not need to be in contact with the root, but merely deposited close to it as the roots and fungal hyphae are mutually attracted and so grow towards each other.
This operation will take the same amount of time as root-pruning orchard. It could be carried out as part of a root-pruning operation or, if such pruning is not required, as a straightforward inoculation system simply by adjusting the positioning of the blade.
Agrovista is offering the inoculation service in partnership with Loddington Farms, with Agrovista supplying the product and Loddington Farms the inoculation service. Tom will be available on the Agrovista stand to answer any questions you may have.
Visit Agrovista on stand K21 at the Show.