Over the last few decades UK soft fruit growers have excelled in innovation, taking the level of agronomy to a point never seen before. From soil to polytunnel and Controlled Environment growing, rainfed to irrigated, manual to robotic picking; it has been a long and exciting journey that looks to continue in years to come.
Stoller Solutions have provide added value to UK growers. Independent UK scientific, as well as extensive on farm, crop trials have helped us to build solutions to overcome some well-known agronomic issues for the soft fruit industry; even in Controlled Environment conditions, there are factors that can affect grower returns on investment.
An active plant growing in conditions with lower levels of biotic and abiotic stress will make the best use of the resources available. This will ensure balanced plant growth; firstly roots will grow at a steady rate exploring the surrounding substrate and secondly the above ground plant canopy will grow in a balanced manner so as not to demand excess input from the roots. This timely and balanced plant growth is key to ensure the efficient allocation of resources within the plant.
Light limiting conditions can affect crop yield. This is not surprising because light is the fuel plants need for normal function, to grow and yield fruit. Stress factors will affect the ability of plants to make efficient use of the available light.
Stress affects the natural hormonal balance in plants, weakens natural resistance to pests and diseases, and has a major effect on fruit quality and therefore marketable yield. Modern agriculture requires tools that assist the growers to achieve natural balance in crops so that they can make better use of the resources available. This understanding has allowed Stoller to create solutions that have proven clear return on investment for soft fruit growers in the UK
Gibberellins, Cytokinins and Auxins are plant growth hormones. Hormones that can be found in good quality seaweed extracts. Stoller has brought a unique technology, from its parent company in the US, which ensures the product helps the plant promote a guaranteed hormonal effect naturally which has been shown to outperform similar types of competitors products on the market.
In the UK, StimulantePlus has been used to good effect by prominent research institutions and growers with on farm benefits such as: reduced abiotic stress in plants, reduced picking costs and an increase in marketable yields more effectively than other like products on the market. In independent trials StimulantePlus has shown how soft fruit crops can increase yields by improving resource use efficiency (light and nutrients). More importantly, we have measured that the return on investment can be significant depending on the environmental conditions.
StimulantePlus is a liquid product usually applied to crop via fertigation:
We want to help you, contact us:
Bernard Courtney
Technical & Sales Responsible
bcourtney@stoller.es
+44 (0) 744 222 7687
stollereurope.com/en