Hydroponic Trials Report
* (NB. Hydrosmart was formerly badged as Calclear technology, the original technology is now only available under the name Hydrosmart.)Suntec Trials
THE EFFECTS OF 'CALCLEAR' ON FRUIT QUALITY
The following information has been extracted from a report by;
Dr Lynette Morgan PhD and Simon Lennard M.Hort.Sc. of:
The report was later published in Practical Hydroponics and Greenhouses Jan/Feb 1999
The report was to determine the effect of Calclear water treatment technology on the quality of fruit from plants being irrigated with high mineral content bore water.
Treating water with Calclear has been shown to have a beneficial effect on fruit quality.
THE EFFECTS OF 'CALCLEAR' ON
Percentage dry matter;
Analysis of the percentage dry matter was conducted on five occasions. The overall mean for treated fruit was 7.10% dry matter while the control registered 5.79%. This result was highly significant down to the 1% significant level, see Table 1.
This indicates that Calclear had the effect of producing a higher quality fruit with a greater percentage of dry matter and less water content than the control.
Higher percentage of dry matter is often linked with a greater percentage of sugars in the fruit, greater degree of firmness and a longer shelf life.
The higher percentage of dry matter is likely to be attributed to Calclear having a beneficial effect on assimilate production and transport within the plant.
Table 1. Effect of Calclear on fruit percentage dry matter levels
*Results at 1% level
FRUIT BRIX (SUGAR LEVELS)
As with dry matter, brix levels were found to be higher in fruit treated with Calclear, see Table 2. Again five samples were taken, the mean for treated fruit was 6.74 while the control fruit samples had 6.29. This result was significant at the 5% level.
Brix or refractive index readings are an indication of sugar levels within the fruit and have been proven to be a good indication of 'sweetness'.
Table 2. Effect of Calclear on fruit brix levels
*Results at 5% level
FRUIT SHELF LIFE
Fruits from Calclear treatments were found to have significantly higher shelf lives than untreated samples. The mean of all harvested resulted in Calclear having a shelf life of 22.6 days and the control fruit 18.8 days, see Table 3.
Table 3. Effect of Calclear on fruit shelf life
*Results at 5% level
Fruit with a higher percentage of dry matter are known to have longer shelf life as they are generally firmer and do not lose water as rapidly as fruit with a lower dry matter percentage.
Conclusion and Summary
Calclear has proven to be beneficial to fruit production in areas with high mineral content in their water. Higher percentage of dry matter, higher Brix levels and a greater shelf life have been shown to result from the use of Calclear. This has been accomplished without usual detrimental effects associated with increases in quality of this magnitude, such as Blossom end rot.
Suntec Consultants
PO Box 41,
Tokomaru 5450,
New Zealand.
* Percentage dry matter in fruit,
* Brix levels (sugar levels) in fruit
* Fruit shelf life
are discussed below.
Mean % dry matter
Standard error
95% confidence interval
CONTROL
5.79%*
0.18
5.37-6.21%
CALCLEAR
7.10%*
0.26
6.54-7.69%
Mean Brix levels
Standard error
95% confidence interval
CONTROL
6.29*
0.14
6.00-6.58
CALCLEAR
6.74*
0.15
6.41-7.07
Number of days shelf lifes
Standard error
95% confidence interval
CONTROL
18.8*
0.63
17.6-20.1 Days
CALCLEAR
22.6*
0.67
21.2-23.9 Days
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