Over 600 trials globally back innovative new apple thinner Brevis®
Revolutionising apple thinning with Brevis®
Nelson, New Zealand, 17 October 2017 – ADAMA New Zealand Ltd., subsidiary of world leading crop protection company ADAMA Agricultural Solutions, has launched Brevis, a new and innovative secondary fruit thinner especially formulated for apples.
For a product newly-released here in New Zealand, Brevis has a lot of history behind it. Already registered in 22
countries, Brevis has been the subject of more than 600 trials worldwide. These covered multiple apple varieties, a
range of orchard management systems and differing climates. The resulting extensive data has seen it approved in New
Zealand on all apple varieties including those traditionally considered difficult to thin.
Lynne Roberts, Adama Commercial Manager Lower North Island, says thinning can be difficult in orchards in this country
with traditional chemical thinning often being “hit and miss”. “The success, or otherwise, of thinning used to come down
a lot to weather conditions and the ability to correctly predict them. The launch of Brevis will help provide some of
the consistency, certainty and flexibility that the New Zealand pipfruit industry has been looking for.”
Unique mode of action mimics shading
Rather than using synthetic plant hormones Brevis works by temporarily and safely inhibiting photosynthesis. In simple
terms, it mimics the effects of shading. Brevis reduces the production of carbohydrates by the tree. Remaining
carbohydrates are sent to shoots rather than fruit. As a result, the smaller fruitlets stop growing and will drop from
the tree in about 7 to 10 days.
Brevis can be applied when king fruitlets are 8-14 mm in size with temperatures between 10 and 25ºC. This avoids the
uncertainty and guesswork needed with thinners that require consecutive days within a relatively narrow temperature
range for successful results.
While less temperature dependent than traditional thinners, pre- and post-application weather conditions can affect the
strength of the thinning response achieved with Brevis. Adama has established a comprehensive understanding of the
impact of weather and thinning response through global trial work.
More consistent thinning results
Global Brevis Specialist Ton Besseling visited New Zealand in August to talk to distributors and growers about the
latest research findings. “Results globally show that Brevis simply delivers, repeatedly and with more consistent
thinning results compared to traditional chemical thinners. These findings are also backed up by trials conducted
locally in the last three seasons.”
Lynne says there are also other ways that Brevis helps get the focus off second-guessing the weather and back on
production. “Fast-uptake means Brevis is rainfast within two hours. So when growers see an opportunity, they can act on
it. And orchard re-entry is possible after just three days. That means workers can be back in a block quickly, and
regular orchard tasks are subject to much less disruption.”
As Brevis is non-toxic to beneficial organisms it also provides an excellent fit for the IPM programmes that are the
cornerstone of many New Zealand orchard management systems. Furthermore, Brevis does not negatively affect shoot growth
or flower bud return.
Registered pursuant to the ACVM Act 1997, No. P9397. See www.foodsafety.govt.nz for registration conditions.
Approved pursuant to the HSNO Act 1996. Approval No. HSR101178. See www.epa.govt.nz for registration conditions.
Adama and Brevis are registered trademarks of an ADAMA Group Company.
ENDS
High res images available on request
For more information on ADAMA New Zealand and Brevis see www.adama.com/new-zealand/en/
ADAMA New Zealand Ltd.
Mobile: +64 21 424 935
Email: elisabeth.johnston@adama.com
About ADAMA
ADAMA Agricultural Solutions Ltd. is one of the world's leading crop protection companies. We strive to create
simplicity in agriculture – offering farmers effective and efficient products and services that simplify their lives and
help them grow. With one of the most comprehensive and diversified portfolios of differentiated, high-quality products,
Adama’s approximately 4,900 people reach farmers in over 100 countries across the globe, providing them with solutions
to control weeds, insects and disease and improve their yields. For more information visit us at www.adama.com and follow us on Twitter® at @AdamaAgri.
About ADAMA New Zealand
ADAMA New Zealand Ltd. is a subsidiary of ADAMA Agricultural Solutions. Our mission is to create innovative, yet simple
solutions for New Zealand farmers by working together with our distributor partners, industry bodies and researchers. A
strong focus on customer relationships and investment in local product development, backed by our renowned product
quality has seen Adama grow significantly in New Zealand since 2004. For more information on Adama New Zealand and its
product portfolio visit www.adama.com/new-zealand/en/