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New approach to improving avocado quality and yield

May 16, 2024

For lovers of guacamole, Eurofins APAL in Queensland have been supporting the well respected and sought after Australian avocado horticulturalist and consultant Graeme Thomas of GLT Horticultural.  Through avocado skin nutrition and soil pore water testing, GLT Horticultural with select growers, have significantly improved the quality and quantity of avocados.  In turn, this is helping growers supply a greater percentage of higher quality fruit into both the domestic and developing export markets.

It is well known that for many horticultural crops, the nitrogen to calcium ratio plays an important role in the produce quality.  For avocado, skin analysis has been found to be a useful indicator relating to quality.  When the nitrogen to calcium ratio is lower in the skin analysis, the percentage of rotten fruit 5 days post ripening is also lower – that means more smashed avocado!

Knowing the critical flowering period when calcium levels in the soil need to be elevated is 8-10 weeks from mid September, gypsum was applied in mid August.  Below is a graph of the cations (Ca,K,Mg,Na) concentration analysed in the fortnightly soil pore water samples taken at 150 mm depth.   (Note the dramatic effect of 600 mm of rain on the 15th – 17th Dec 2023 resulted in a 2-fold decrease in calcium).

Avocado nutrient graph

The corresponding completed skin analysis indicates the maximum calcium concentrations in the avocado fruit has occurred due to the timed gypsum applications.

One grower noted since applying the gypsum pre flower, he had never had such robust fruit. Those fruit missed at picking normally rot and fall off quickly, but this year remained on the tree and were still sound!

Even though gypsum may be applied at the correct time, a weather event could alter the course of the resultant avocado fruit quality.  Hence, an avocado skin nutrition analysis using the plant tissue testing package such as the P1 test suite (available from our Burleigh Heads site in QLD) or PT2 test suite (available from our Hindmarsh site in SA) can assist in the decision making process of whether to supply the domestic market or export the produce!

Want to organise your avocado testing?

Get in touch with our customer service team today!

Burleigh Heads, QLD: 07 5568 8700 or receptionqld@apal.com.au
Hindmarsh, SA: 08 9332 0199 or info@apal.com.au

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