With the summerfruit season well underway it is timely to update you on activities and proposed future work on the Nzsummer series of apricot varieties.
In the past few months, the ACIB has been working with Summerfruit NZ and PFR to develop a varietal guide for the new varieties, collating key research data and observations to date. This guide is available to all Nzsummer growers both in a hard copy and also electronically from the Summerfruit NZ secure portal, it can be found under Main Menu/Publications/Orchard management. If you are not currently an Nzsummer grower, but are interested in more information on the selections or ordering budwood this coming season, there are also summary leaflets available in this section of the portal on the varieties, these are available to all Summerfruit NZ members.
This season we are going to develop a network of Nzsummer growers and interested parties, who can collaborate in a semi-formal environment, collecting data, sharing experiences and learnings on the new apricot varieties. This will enable us to build and share varietal knowledge including developing best practice guidelines to ensure the successful commercialization of the new varieties.
We encourage all Nzsummer growers to join this group; we will be working closely with Summerfruit NZ staff who will be carrying out this work on our behalf. Please email Andrea Crawford (andrea.crawford@summerfruitnz.co.nz) with the contact details for the best person in your organisation to answer crop monitoring questions during the season.
Richard Mills from Summerfruit NZ will be contacting Nzsummer growers shortly to introduce himself and check your availability to participate in a data collection and crop monitoring project on the Nzsummer varieties. Primarily the data will be gathered by phone and email using a short list of specific key questions around on-orchard activity and your observations of the Nzsummer trees as the season progresses. Regular updates of the collated data will be shared with you during the course of the season via a regular Nzsummer specific newsletter and Nzsummer forum group events either in person or via Zoom (depending on Covid levels) including field walks, webinars and social gatherings.
Richard has begun this process in Central Otago this week meeting growers and visiting Nzsummer blocks. There will also be an informal get together of Central Otago Nzsummer growers in Clyde. If you want further information please contact Andrea Crawford.
We are looking forward to working closely with all Nzsummer growers to progress these new varieties and hope you will be keen to participate in the various Nzsummer activities during the coming season.
Stephen Darling