Better Color in Honeycrisp Possible with Aurora

It’s no secret that growing Honeycrisp apples is challenging. Achieving optimal and uniform coloring is one of those challenges. A new product being introduced by Agro-K helps with this by boosting uniform coloring significantly, resulting in a 17% increase in coloring on average over four years of research trials.

The new product, called Aurora, was a result of research by the Agro-K team with the goal of boosting coloring in Honeycrisp. Key nutrients at the right ratios and timing make a big difference with this problem.

“The color change was dramatic when Aurora was applied at the correct timings,” Jacobson says. “By adjusting application earlier, we saw amazing results, with a 23% increase in color that year.”

Jacobson also noticed that Aurora had its biggest color impact on the interior fruit of the tree. “This fruit often doesn’t receive direct light, and that’s where we’re seeing the highest coloring impact from Aurora,” he says.

How Does Aurora Work?

Both Jacobson and Rick de Jong, International Business Manager at Agro-K, say Aurora, a proprietary blend of nutrients, seems to help Honeycrisp cope with a common genetic physiological condition called zonal leaf chlorosis.

“Once the terminal buds set and vegetative growth stops for the season, there can be a gradual buildup of proteins within the phloem, the sugar- and nutrient-conducting channels in the leaves,” de Jong says. “The proteins can’t move through the phloem and end up crystallizing and clogging the channels.”

At this point, with nutrients moving very slowly through the plant, research shows that photosynthesis slows down, too. This means the sugars necessary for fruit color and flavor are not getting into the apple at the time those interior fruits need it.

“We are not curing zonal chlorosis, but we are helping the tree manage it, which is resulting in better colored fruit,” de Jong says. “Chlorosis can show up pretty early in the season, depending on region, soil and abiotic stressors, so it’s important to be aware of your field conditions.”

Starting applications of Aurora prior to seeing the visual signs of zonal leaf chlorosis is important to success when it comes to fruit color. Aurora is effective on standard Honeycrisp as well as other commercially available sport strains such as Premier.

Contact your Agro-K representative to learn about our nutritional program for apples, scientifically designed to optimize crop health and yield.  Visit www.agro-k.com.