Field Study

Vitazyme on Apples – 2011, Chile

This Gala apple trial in Chile revealed that, while the yields were the same for all treatments, there were considerable differences in the coloration and maturity, the treatment cost, as well as the fruit grade at harvest. The highest percentage of apples picked at the first harvest was for defoliation (94%), while Color Up gave an 80% first picking, and Vitazyme nearly as great a picking at 70%; the control gave only 38% for the first picking, All other apples were ready at the second picking, except for the control treatment, which yielded 24% for the third picking.
The treatment cost was by far the least with Vitazyme (1.9 USD/ton • ha), while Color Up cost 11.1 USD/ton • ha. Extra fancy apples were highest for the control (60.1%), but the quality dropped rapidly for fancy and choice grades. Defoliation produced nearly as many extra fancy apples as did the control, but the percentage of fancy fruit dropped below the levels of the other three treatments. Vitazyme and Color Up pro- duced very similar fruit quality profiles – about 40% extra fancy and 40% fancy, with 11% choice. The defo- liation treatment produced the greatest number of sun-scolded fruit (10.7%). Of all treatments, Vitazyme produced the greatest cost-benefit ratio, and likely the greatest net income as well, although an analysis of fruit value for the various categories was not undertaken.