Article prepared by the technical team of Avium SpA.
The bud fertility analysis (AdYC) marks the starting point for the 2025-2026 season.
This objective tool allows early assessment of the orchard’s physiological status, providing crucial information about its productive potential. Based on its results, management strategies such as pruning, load regulation, and fertilization programs can be tailored accordingly.
The purpose of this analysis is to reduce uncertainty regarding the flowering potential of each block, making it a fundamental tool for establishing an accurate production equation.
Evaluations are generally conducted between mid-May and late July, depending on the dormancy stage of the orchard. The analysis involves observing the condition of the fruiting centers to estimate floral supply by counting the number of buds per reproductive center, the number of floral primordia per bud, and their condition (healthy or damaged).
Among these parameters, counting damaged primordia is especially relevant, since more than 90% of these damages occur at the beginning of the dormancy entry process.
What causes these damages?
Primarily, they result from low temperatures recorded between late April and early May, which are linked to poor lignification processes and inadequate bract formation in the buds during this stage.
The most critical period for frost damage occurs at the end of winter and early spring, particularly when the buds are in the swelling stage. It is during this phase that the true reproductive status of the orchard can be more accurately determined.
To obtain representative results, proper sampling is essential. First, the reproductive centers of the peach need to be correctly identified. Then, sampling should follow the protocol of the analyzing laboratory, ensuring coverage of representative sectors of the orchard while considering its homogeneity.
A good projection of the season’s potential depends heavily on accurate forecasting, which involves recognizing different aspects: firstly, and most importantly, understanding the orchard’s potential—meaning the relationship between productivity and quality that maximizes profitability.
This is a factor that the industry in general has not fully internalized, yet it plays a significant role in the production equation.
Secondly, it is crucial to understand the historical flowering dynamics of the orchard, which are mainly associated with variety and planting density, but also with other factors such as the vigor status of the orchard and current agroclimatic conditions during flowering. Additionally, knowing the orchard’s actual floral supply through analyses like AdYC allows for better planning of initial pruning tasks under different orchard conditions or promoting the thinning of Dardo (flower bud thinning) in vegetative materials that need it.
Efficiency in seasonal tasks is also vital. For instance, winter pruning is a key activity in optimizing resource use, and from this season onward, it will be a major focus for the orchard’s operational success.
