Micro-cloning powers SA avocado production
The growing of trees from seedlings or clones is a crucial step in fruit production. The way in which trees are propagated, handled and managed in a nursery contributes not only to their survival rate after planting, but their subsequent growth performance and uniformity, which in turn affects fruit-bearing.
A number of nurseries in South Africa supply local and international avocado producers with trees. One of these is the Allesbeste Nursery situated in the picturesque Magoebaskloof area near Tzaneen in Limpopo.
The nursery was established in the 1980s by the late Dr André Ernst and is currently managed by Llewellyn van Zyl. Certified by the Avocado Nurserymen’s Association, the nursery is recognised for providing superior-quality avocado trees and currently holds an ANA fivestar grading for its quality and hygiene standards.
According to Zander Ernst, director of marketing and production at Allesbeste, the avocado industry has identified a number of production pitfalls over the past couple of years that directly affect tree health and productivity.
“One of the
