the full report on the study tour

Study tour to the United States to better understand melon
growing & develop networks with other melon growers
Dianne Fullelove B App Sc (Horticultural Technology), Grad Dip Teach
Industry Development Manager
Australian Melon Association Inc.
Author: Dianne Fullelove B App Sc (Horticultural Technology), Grad Dip Teach
Industry Development Manager
Australian Melon Association Inc.
Mobile: 0413 101 646
Email: [email protected]
www.melonsaustralia.org.au
PO Box 913
Kenmore QLD 4069
Acknowledgements:
The project has been funded by Horticulture Australia Limited using voluntary contributions from
the Australian melon industry and matched funds from the Australian Government.
Contents
1
Introduction .................................................................................................................................... 4
2
Outcomes ........................................................................................................................................ 4
2.1
3
Visits by US researchers .......................................................................................................... 5
Implications for Australian horticulture.......................................................................................... 5
3.1
Closer links between AMA, NWA & NWPB ............................................................................. 5
3.2
Alternate growing methods .................................................................................................... 5
3.2.1
Graham Farms – Mark Bryan .......................................................................................... 5
3.2.2
Moore Haven Farms – Greg Collier ................................................................................. 6
3.2.3
JayMar Produce – Jay Sizemore ...................................................................................... 7
3.2.4
Melon1 Farms - Rich Chasetaine..................................................................................... 7
3.3
Research collaboration ........................................................................................................... 9
3.3.1
US Vegetable Laboratory, Charleston ............................................................................. 9
3.3.2
Gulf Coast Research & Education Centre...................................................................... 10
3.3.3
Sakata Seed Farm .......................................................................................................... 11
3.4
Marketing information.......................................................................................................... 12
3.4.1
National Watermelon Promotion Board....................................................................... 12
3.4.2
Retails visits ................................................................................................................... 14
3.4.3
Packaging & labelling .................................................................................................... 14
4
Dissemination ............................................................................................................................... 15
5
Itinerary......................................................................................................................................... 16
6
Contact list .................................................................................................................................... 18
6.1
Participants ........................................................................................................................... 18
6.2
US contacts ........................................................................................................................... 18
1 Introduction
The overall aim of the study tour was to expose Australian melon growers to melon production, food
safety and marketing in the United States, make them more aware of fruit marketing and
promotion, better understand other supply chains, learn new techniques, network with key people
in the American melon industry and act as a catalyst for further positive changes in the Australian
industry upon their return. Exposure to an established large market such as the United States will
provide a wealth of knowledge and understanding to growers.
The study tour visited farming, packing and marketing outlets and met with growers and packers in
Georgia and Florida and attended the National Watermelon Association convention in Georgia.
2 Outcomes
The outcomes of the study tour will be an Australian industry more aware of the international melon
industry and the industry practices in the United States. Growers have developed networks that they
can access directly for further collaboration.
AMA has developed research and marketing contacts that are keen to continue to work with the
Australian industry to share knowledge and resources.
Key topics to investigate were identified prior to the study tour and grower participants held a
debriefing session each evening to discuss the information gathered. It was found the group were
able to draw further in-depth conclusions from their visits through the evening debriefings as well in
the communal bus transport.
Each participant has been asked to communicate with other growers in their local regions to discuss
the learnings form the study tour. This report will be distributed to melon growers and industry
partners and the study group participants have been asked to distribute to their networks.
2.1 Visits by US researchers
Richard Hassell from USDA Vegetable Laboratory, Charleston and Craig Stanley, Gulf Coast Research
& Education Centre are attending the IHC 2014 in Brisbane and have agreed to visit melon growers
during their Australian visit. AMA will host the visits and possible meetings.
3 Implications for Australian horticulture
The overall objective of the tour is to expose a critical mass of Australian melon industry members to
an overseas melon industry and to meet a diverse group of other people working in melon industries
overseas, in order to return to Australia with fresh ideas and enthusiasm to inject into our own
rapidly changing industry thus acting as a catalyst for further positive changes here.
3.1 Closer links between AMA, NWA & NWPB
Mark Daunt, AMA Chairman, presented at the MWA Convention on the Australian industry,
including a comparison of Australian and US costs of production. The information was well received
by US growers and stimulated discussion at the Convention. The Australian presentation was also
delivered to researchers at the USDA Laboratory at Charleston and Gulf Coast Research & Education
Centre at Wimauma.
Mark Daunt presenting at the 100th NWA Convention.
3.2 Alternate growing methods
3.2.1 Graham Farms – Mark Bryan
Graham Farms grows 800ac of watermelons in Georgia, North Carolina, Maryland and Indiana from
February to September. The crop is grown on black plastic mulch with a double row trickle due to
the sandy soil. Georgia farms use a centre pivot irrigation system due to drainage issues. Drainage is
undertaken through laser levelling with 700 rows to a swell ditch
Planting fertiliser is applied at 1000lbs of 9:12:12 fertilizer banded as a starter on 10 foot beds. A
side dressing is also applied and covered with soil from the furrows.
No basal fertiliser is applied due to either heavy rain causing a large release of nutrient, and
subsequent leaching and possibly resulting in hollow fruit or no rain in which case fertiliser does not
release nutrients.
Pollinators are planted at a ratio of 1:4 with an extra Mickey Lee plant added approx 1 week after
planting. Plastic mulch is used once and then burnt. Windbreaks of Florida Rye are planted and the
field are rotated with pasture/hay. Two bee hives per acre are used in the crop. These are package
bees without a queen. The cost is US$30/hive.
The cost of growing is US$5000 / ac. The break even cost of growing is a return of US$0.18/lb –
grown and packed at 40000lb/ac. There are usually5-6 picks/crop, possibly up to 9 -depending on
rain which results in a decrease in quality.
Graham Farms double trickle
3.2.2 Moore Haven Farms – Greg Collier
Global Produce harvest 800 ac of watermelons at Moore Haven Farms in Central Florida, using seep
irrigation to either add or remove irrigation water to the sandy soil. The watermelons are rotated
with sugarcane. Seedlings are planted from late January. Most crops are 75-80 days from planting to
harvest.
Fertiliser is used at 120 units Nitrogen and is applied in 2 applications at a ratio of 12:12:12 for the
preplant and 11:0:11 side dressing. A phosphorus foliar spray is also applied. After the side dressing,
the beds are back-filled with soil from the furrow. The fields are laid out with 350 ft ditches to allow
seep irrigation. See image below.
All plants are seedlings with pollinators planted at 4:1 ratio plant/pollinator. Cultivar 790 is used as a
pollinator. Cultivars are almost universally crimson types, with larger fruit selected for cheaper style
retailers.
A disease issue is Watermelon Decline which may be a combination of Squash Yellow Vein Virus and
Papaya Rings Virus. The contact for further information on this issue is:
Scott Adkins
USDA Fort Pierce
[email protected]
Irrigation channels on Moore Haven Farms
3.2.3 JayMar Produce – Jay Sizemore
This is a watermelon & strawberry farm that plants watermelon seedlings directly into strawberry
beds after strawberry harvest is completed. Irrigation and mulch is thus reused. Strawberries are
planted on 8ft spacing and watermelons on 12ft spacing. Every second bed is removed as
watermelons commence to run from planting bed.
Soil is fumigated with Pichlor (chloropicrin/Telan) to control nematodes and nutsedge. A bed former
is used to form 4 rows with tines flipping the soil and pressing it into a bed form. This is followed by
MAP fertiliser and plastic mulch layer. The beds are 10” high. Watermelons are planted with 3:1
ratio of pollinators to plants.
JayMar also grow rockmelons “Athena” and harvest to a 120 count bulk bin of fruit approx. 2kg size.
Watermelon is cooperatively packed with Melon1.
Watermelons interplanted with strawberries
3.2.4
Bed former
Melon1 Farms - Rich Chasetaine
Packing shed
A large farm that sells 8000 semi loads from May to September with most produce sold in 30 kg
boxes (cost US$2) or bins. Watermelon is packed using an optical sorter in the packing line, due to
the need for zero tolerance on sizing in boxes. The cost of the sorter was US$250,000 and it grades
on mass, not weight. A labeller from Cheetar Systems is used to label fruit.
www.cheetarsystems.com. The packing line can pack 2 semis/hour. The fruit is dry brushed, not
washed unless dirt sticks to the fruit. The advantage of this is that unhygienic water is not introduced
to the packing line. If wash water is used, it is treated with Selectrocide. The decision on packaging is
based on price – when the price high, fruit is boxed; as price lowers, bins are used.
Labelling machine
Optical grader
On farm
Plant density is 1,640 seedless plants/ac with 3:1 plants/pollinators. Seedlings are obtained as plants
direct from seed companies. Syngenta is planting double in cells with pollinators (3:1). There are
some grafted plants produced in Mexico & Spain that are cut off; flown to USA and then re-rooted.
In the northern states, Fascination is the main variety, although they are prone to hollow heart at
times Florida farms grow Royal Armada.
Basal and side dressing fertiliser is used along with seep irrigation from side channels. Beds are 0.5m
high. There is only 60% land use with seep ditches.
Harvesting is done by contractors with fruit harvested into re-purposed buses carrying 18000 – 2000
lbs (semi load). Yields are 40,000 – 45,000 lbs/ac, although in California 78,000 – 80,000 lbs/ac is an
average yield. Fields are usually picked four times before the field is rotated back to pasture.
Bed formation
Rye grass windbreaks
3.3 Research collaboration
3.3.1 US Vegetable Laboratory, Charleston
The group visited US Vegetable Laboratory, Charleston to present information on the Australian
industry and to hear presentations on research by local scientists.
Silver leaf whitefly
Breeding of resistant cultivars and the use of reflective mulches is used to discourage build-up of
epidemic numbers of SLW.
Nematodes
Rootstocks resistant to root knot nematodes are being bred as many cucurbit rootstocks are
susceptible to nematodes. Citrullis metullifera and C. citroides has shown resistance as well RKVL
316. Bottle gourd and squash are not suitable for rootstocks as they have little resistance to
nematodes. Rotation with cowpeas is also being studied as a possible way of reducing nematode
populations in fields.
Grafting
Automatic grafting machines are being trialled to reduce the costs of manual grafting. Chemical
‘blinding’ of rootstock tips with fatty alcohol (four 85) is being used to push rootstock to store more
carbohydrates. A patent on this process has been awarded.
Helper Robotech Co grafting machine from Korea
Phytophthora
Dr Shaker Kousik, Research Plant Pathologist (Watermelon) presented his research work on
Phytophthora fruit rot and management using fungicide rotation schemes Rotation of Presidio and
Revus or Zampro and others were effective in reducing fruit rot. Tank mix of Ridomil and Ranman
was effective. Fungicides (Presidio, Revus, Zampro, QGU-42) were effective in reducing post-harvest
fruit rot up to 8 days after last pre-harvest spray.
Many of the fungicides that are effective on Phytophthora are also effective on cucurbit downy
mildew that also occurs on watermelon under extreme weather conditions in the U.S.
A PowerPoint presentation from Dr Kousik will be distributed to growers and is attached to this
report.
Dr Kousik shows his research outcomes
Wild watermelon cultivars in greenhouse
Watermelon genotypes
Dr. Amnon Levi works with wild varieties of watermelons to select useful genes to incorporate into
commercial varieties. A wild variety was converted from a natural diploid (having two sets of
chromosomes) to a tetraploid (having four sets of chromosomes) that have a highly vigorous and
large root system with resistance to nematodes and tolerance to Fusarium Wilt. The variety (USVL360) could be a useful rootstock for grafted watermelon. It has been used in breeding programs to
develop seedless hybrid watermelon lines. With the development of this line, Dr. Levi has introduced
a new concept of converting wild type watermelon accessions to tetraploid lines that can be useful
in breeding programs for developing seedless watermelons.
3.3.2 Gulf Coast Research & Education Centre
The study group met with Craig Stanley, Acting Director; Hugh Smith, entomologist; Nathan Boyd,
weed scientist, Gary Vallad, pathologist and Sonia Tighe from the Florida F & V Association.
The Centre staff research a range of topics:
•
Diseases - -powdery mildew; downy mildew; fruit blotch; gummy stem
•
Weeds - herbicide evaluation and the effects of herbicides in rockmelons when following a
strawberry crop
•
Insects – silver leaf whitefly that vectors viruses and is controlled with avamectin
(bifenazate) or Transform; pickle worm/melon worm controlled through systemic
insecticides in drip water, reflective mulches and crop sanitation with removal of old crop;
two spotted mite.
The Centre has an on online vegetable handbook available:
http://gcrec.ifas.ufl.edu/docs/pdf/2013_VPH_web.pdf
AT GCRE, the group also met Sonia Tighe from Florida F & V Association (www.ffva.com) who
explained that this growers’ organisation undertook $5m research projects in topics such as the
environment, labour issues and advocacy. She encouraged Australian growers to access EDIS, the
Electronic Data Information Source of UF/IFAS Extension. www.edis.ifas.ufl.edu
3.3.3 Sakata Seed Farm
Nihat Gunner, the watermelon breeder at Sakata presented information on their latest breeding
program and explained the process for breeding seedless watermelons:
•
Develop male & female lines. This takes 6 years to fix the line genetically by self-pollinations
to achieve inbred pure lines.
•
Select lines for characteristics once they are able to identify which genes control which
characteristic eg Yellow flesh and small seed is dominant. The watermelon gene list is
published, to allow choice of characteristics.
Breeder selections take 3 years and commercial lines are achieved in the 10th year. However in
Florida, breeders can plant 2 crops/year, this shortens time to market to 5 years.
The group queried change in varieties over time. Dr Gunner explained that segregation occurs in the
female line so that parents can change. The line can be fixed but pollination can occur externally i.e.
the plants are not truly self-pollinated. It can be difficult to remove invasive genes in the parent
lines.
The breeder produces the first seed that bulked up as foundation seed and then seed producers
grow the production seed for commercial use.
Breeding is aimed at incorporating disease resistance to anthracnose and potyviruses such as Papaya
Ringspot Virus and Watermelon Mosaic Virus. It is also important to incorporate high yields and
firmer flesh for longer shelf life (rate 4-5 on penetrometers). Firmness of flesh is more important
than rind thickness for transport. New rootstocks are aimed at incorporating Fusarium Race 2
resistance.
In the US, there is a trend to smaller fruit with a darker rind, Fusarium resistance and personal size
melons.
New Australia varieties are SWT 0401 – Green Moon; SWT 0403 – Carbine – slightly oblong picnic
type which are distributed by South Pacific Seeds.
Discussion was held on the problem of hollow heart in varieties. Dr Gunner replied that hollow heart
is a difference in growth of rind and flesh and can be caused by warm days, cold nights or too much
fertiliser.
New varieties are Bold Ruler and Citation which show early fruiting; Ace is a new very promising
pollinator. Citation has a darker crimson sweet type rind, weighs an average 12-14 lbs with 4
fruits/plant and a harvest time of 76 days. It is being trialled in Australia.
Dr Gunner explained the different types of watermelons, based on the skin colour of fruit.
•
All dark skin - SUGAR BABY type
•
All light skin - CHARLSTON GREY type
•
50%:50%; or 60%:40% - CRIMSON SWEET type
•
80% dark stripe: 20% light stripe - ALL SWEET type
•
80% light background: 20% dark stripe – JUBILEE type
3.4 Marketing information
3.4.1 National Watermelon Promotion Board
A visit was made to the office of the National Watermelon Promotion Board in Orlando, Florida. The
meeting discussed the following points:
A levy, at per kg rate, is paid direct to NWPB from growers. The board estimates approx 10%
leakage. The levy of Levy 6c/100 cwt (45kg) raises $3.2 million annually. With these funds, NWPB
sponsors research on marketing and direct marketing to consumers. The consumption of
14kg/person in the US is twice that of Australians.
NWPB suggested that AMA aim at the following groups in promoting melons in Australia:
•
Dieticians with nutritional information
•
Have a Press Kit available for magazines, radio, television
•
Use a teacher tool kit
•
Work with children’s health programs
•
Target – women 30-40 years who make the buying decisions
•
Store point of sale material is not viable as most stores will not use them
Consumer research is worthwhile and NWPB will share the US research with AMA. Consumers want
to know the health benefits of the food they are eating.
National Watermelon Association runs a Queen program that attracts young rural women to act as
ambassadors for watermelons for a year. They undergo a training program (in public
relations/marketing) and are paid through scholarships for university.
NWPB is involved with a social media campaign to promote watermelons. They use Facebook, blogs,
Pinterest, Instagram and Twitter. However, it is important to address negative comments.
They host twitter parties with a particular hashtag and invite interested social media people to join
in discussing watermelon, recipes etc.
All4Watermelon on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Instagram, WhatAboutWatermelon Blog
and YouTube
Mark Arney CEO and Stephanie Barlow, Director of PR & Social Media are very keen to stay involved
with the Australian industry. They have commenced sending promotional material and press
releases to AMA which has already proved useful. NWPB also issued a press release following the
study tour visit.
PRESS RELEASE 02/27/2014 11:22:00 AM
Andy Nelson The Packer
Australian watermelon growers met with National Watermelon Promotion Board staff on
February 25th at the board's Orlando headquarters.
Members of the National Watermelon Promotion Board met with Australian watermelon growers
interested in creating their own promotion board.
“About ten growers and Diane Fullelove, industry development manager of the Australian Melon
Association Inc., met with promotion board staff at the board’s Orlando office February 25th”, said
Mark Arney, the board’s executive director.
Many Australian growers want to form a promotion board to help strengthen watermelon markets
in their country, Arney said. In a vote several years ago, growers narrowly defeated a plan to form a
board. Many hope to have another vote.
“It’s primarily because of price,” Arney said. “They’ve had some pretty lean years. They see this as a
way to create demand and help support the industry.”
Arney said he would welcome another promotion board. To his knowledge, the U.S. board is the
only one in the world.
“It’s a win-win — we’re not looking to compete with each other,” he said.
Only about 300 growers produce watermelons in Australia, and almost all fruit is consumed
domestically, Arney said. If growers export, it’s to countries near Australia.
Arney said the U.S. board and an Australian board, were one created, could potentially share
technical expertise and research.
The Feb. 25 meeting at the board’s office lasted about three hours. Australian growers were in the
U.S. for the National Watermelon Association’s annual convention in Savannah, Ga.
- See more at: http://www.thepacker.com/fruit-vegetable-news/Watermelon-promotion-boardadvises-Australians--247573681.html#sthash.w6Cx1qez.dpuf
3.4.2 Retails visits
The group visited Walmart and Publix grocery stores to view watermelon
Retail packages of watermelon
at Publix store
Ziplock bag for watermelon at
NWA Convention
3.4.3 Packaging & labelling
The group visited packing sheds at Global produce and Melon1. Global Produce was packing
watermelons form Guatemala. Although the Melon1 line was not working, the group had the
opportunity to view labelling machines and boxes used for retail packaging boxes.
Watermelon labels
Leanne McLennan examines a box used
for retailing of watermelons at Melon1
Group at Global Produce
4 Dissemination
On their tour return, a report of the tour including recommendations and important information will
be presented to the industry at the Annual General Meeting of the Australian Melon Association.
It will be distributed via the melon industry website as a downloadable pdf. A two page spread about
the study tour has been included in the current draft of the March Melon News. Specific topics will
be delivered through the Melon Enews with web links to appropriate information from the study
tour.
The outputs will include a comprehensive illustrated report written for industry members in
Australia and a list of useful contacts derived from networking.
5 Itinerary
The group travelled to Savannah, Georgia to attend the 100th National Watermelon Association
Convention at the invitation of the Association. The Australian delegation and US growers
participated in discussions about the watermelon business. They attended presentations at the
Convention and networked with other growers, scientists and industry personnel.
The delegation met with the National Watermelon Promotion Board and the National Watermelon
Association at the Convention to update on projects, both independent and joint, that promote the
industry.
The group then travelled to Florida to tour the seed research centres and melon farms.
Retail outlets and packing facilities were visited in Florida and Georgia, in order to learn how the
supply chain works in the US market and find out the requirements of a large and progressive
market particularly in terms of supply, transport, storage, distribution, quality and presentation.
The tour was escorted by the Industry Development Manager for the Australian melon industry.
Tuesday 18
February
BRISBANE TO LOS
ANGELES
LOS ANGELES TO
DALLAS
DALLAS TO SAVANNAH
SAVANNAH
Wednesday 19th
February
Thursday 20th
February
Friday 21st
February
Saturday 22nd
February
NWA Convention
Qantas Airways Flight QF 15
Departs 11.30am Arrives 6.35am
American Airlines flight AA 2419
Departs 12.00pm
Arrives 5.10pm
American Airlines flight AA2790
Departs 6.50pm
Arrives 10.00pm
5 nights at the MARRIOTT WATERFRONT HOTEL
SAVANNAH
Morning – Convention registration
Meet Seminis Seed at NWA convention hotel
Afternoon – Tour Savannah district
Visit to U.S. Vegetable Lab in Charleston, South
Carolina
Reception & Dinner with NWA (evening)
Breakfast & general session (morning); lunch &
auction (afternoon); evening free on your own
Breakfast & general session (morning)
Meeting with National Watermelon Promotions
Board
Reception & banquet (evening)
Sunday 23rd
February
SAVANNAH TO
ORLANDO
Monday 24th
February
Tuesday 25th
February
ORLANDO
ORLANDO TO NAPLES
NAPLES
Wednesday 26th
February
Thursday 27th
February
Friday 28th
February
Saturday 1st
March
Sunday 2nd March NAPLES TO MIAMI
MIAMI TO LOS ANGELES
LOS ANGELES TO
BRISBANE
Tuesday 4th
March
BRISBANE
TRAIN
97 Silver Meteor
Departs Savannah 6.50am
Arrives Orlando 12.55pm
6 hrs 5 min
Leisure day
Visit National Watermelon Promotion Board
Travel to Naples
5 nights at the INN AT PELICAN BAY Naples.
Standard Room incl breakfast daily
Farm & packing shed visits in central Florida with
Nunhems Seed
Packing House visit with Global Produce.
Lunch provided by Nunhems
Visit Graham Farms Lorida Florida for planting of
watermelons
Global Produce fields in Moore Haven Florida
Visit JayMar Farms in Wimuama Florida
Visit Gulf Coast Research & Education Centre,
Wimauma Florida
Visit Melon1 packing shed & farm, Immokalee,
Florida
Visit Sakata Seed Farm in Lehigh Acres
Leisure day
Vehicle
2 hours
MIAMI TO LOS ANGELES
American Airlines flight AA 281
Departs 4.00pm Arrives 6.55 pm
5 hrs 55 min
Qantas Airways Flight QF 16
Departs 11.50pm
14 hours 10 mins
Arrive 8.00am
6 Contact list
6.1 Participants
HAL subsidised
Mitchael Curtis
Bernie
Prior
Ian
Beard
Tony
Accorsini
Stephen Pace
Leanne
McLennan
Mark
Daunt
Dianne
Fullelove
Full fee paying
Damon
Atkinson
Sharon
Beard
Angela
Accorsini
Peter
McLennan
Deanne Pace
Trish
Daunt
Katherine, NT
Katherine, NT
Chinchilla, QLD
Mutarnee, QLD
Rollingstone, QLD
Wallaville, QLD
Emerald, QLD
IDM
Nunhems Seeds
Chinchilla, QLD
Mutarnee, QLD
Wallaville, QLD
Rollingstone, QLD
Emerald, QLD
6.2 US contacts
Name
Gattis Guffey
Company
Sakata
Email
[email protected]
Chuck Elam
Nunhems USA
[email protected]
Sonia Tighe
Florida Specialty Crop Foundation
[email protected]
Stephanie Barlow
[email protected]
Russ Beckham
National Watermelon Promotion
Board
Nunhems USA Inc
Nathan Boyd
University of Florida
[email protected]
Richard Butera
Magli & Company
[email protected]
Rich Chastain
Melon 1
[email protected]
John Corsaro
Giumarra
[email protected]
Nihat Guner
Sakata
[email protected]
Richard Power
Hoffmann
Randall R Johnson
Spring Gardens Pictures
[email protected]
Sakata Seed America Inc
[email protected]
Chandrasekar Kousik
United States Dept of Agriculture
[email protected]
[email protected]
Kai-Shu Ling
United States Dept of Agriculture
[email protected]
Juliemar Rosado
[email protected]
Mark Bryan
National Watermelon Promotion
Board
Graham Farms
[email protected]
Walt Shappley
Highland Fresh Technologies
[email protected]
Alvin Simmons
United States Dept of Agriculture
[email protected]
Jay Sizemore
JayMar
[email protected]
Hugh Smith
University of Florida
[email protected]
Craig Stanley
University of Florida
[email protected]
Gary Vallad
University of Florida
[email protected]
Lee Wroten
Global Produce Sales
[email protected]
Bob Morrissey
National Watermelon Association
[email protected]
Mark Arney
National Watermelon Promotion
Board
[email protected]