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Edition 20

👋 Hey TropicalBytes family, welcome to this week’s edition of Q.U.I.P.S.!

As the fastest-growing subtropical farming community out there, we're thrilled to be your BFF (Best Farming Friend), saving you hundreds of hours by unearthing hidden gems like:

• Actionable tips 💡

• Practical knowledge 🧠

• Industry insights 📊

• And so much more 🌟

All with the end goal of equipping you for excellence and success. ✅ 

As always, we’d love to hear your ideas, questions and feedback.

You share. We listen.

Let's dive right in! 🚀

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In Today’s Email:

• Q: Copper Sprays — Fungicide AND (maybe a little) Nutrient Boost? 🤔

• U: The Silent Threat of Petrol Storage 🔥

• I: Nutrient Mobility in Soil 🧪

• P: Happy Spring! 🌞

• S: Spring Has Sprung: Your TropicalBytes Stanley Flask is Here! 🎁

Question❓

Copper Sprays — Fungicide AND (maybe a little) Nutrient Boost?

When you find a “chemical” wearing two hats, like Copper does—as a fungicide and micronutrient—you have to wonder if it can do both at once…

• Does Copper, when used as a fungicide spray, also serve as a nutrient for the tree?

• If it does, is there a risk of over-supply toxicity, given the multiple applications in a season?

• If it doesn’t, why not?

📌 Side Note: Just in case anyone needs context to these questions (mac & sugar farmers); copper sprays are used on avos to prevent fungal infections like cercospora. Fruit is sprayed (to dripping point) on average 5 times per season.

First off, a little Copper 101 for context:

1. Copper serves as a micronutrient taken up by plants from the soil.

2. As a fungicide, copper ions work as cellular hitmen, altering proteins and enzymes in pathogens that are yet to infect the plant. So yes, copper takes no prisoners.

3. Remember, copper is inorganic; it won't break down easily and can accumulate in the soil over time.

Turns out all the questions aren’t necessary and the answer is really quite simple…

Copper does have a micronutrient role, but Avo leaves come with their own natural 'raincoat'—a thick, waxy cuticle that acts like a shield. This cuticle is so effective that it's challenging for copper to penetrate and provide nourishment to the tree. In essence, the cuticle plays gatekeeper, making sure that copper stays where it's most effective: on the surface, fighting off pathogens like cercospora.

So, don't expect copper sprays to double as a nutrient supplement. Their primary role in avo farming is to serve as a defence against fungal infections. And no concerns about excessive applications causing any damage through the leaves.

But, there is a question when it comes to copper build up in the soil.

Not because of any toxicity issues nutritionally but because of the threat to soil-based fungi; the 'good guys' pulling their weight as part of the soil life our orchards desperately need. These guys are vulnerable to attack by the copper, just like cercospora is, which is a big concern.

🚨 Caution: Minimise copper sprays as much as possible by timing them well and thereby maximising efficacy. Protect your soil and the delicate ecosystem that your avocados rely on.

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📝 Research Snippet: In a series of experiments, it was shown that foliar applications of micronutrients had limited impact on nutrient levels in avo leaves. “Applying foliar nutrients is not widely recommended for avocados because mature avocado leaves have a thick waxy cuticle and only small amounts can be absorbed at best” (link)

👉 We’d love your insights:

Given that TropicalBytes is fairly 'new' to the avo-scene, we are just as eager to learn alongside you and welcome any insights beyond what we share below.

Let us know and leave a comment, we hope to spur some discussion around this topic.

❓ What question(s) do you have this week? Tell us here

Upskill 📚

The Silent Threat of Petrol Storage 🔥

Even though this topic veers a bit off our usual track, we believe it's too crucial to give it a miss.

Not so long ago, we had a conversation with a farmer whose friend experienced a devastating explosion. For years, this farmer had stored petrol jerry cans in his shed, just like many of us do. After all, our brushcutters, motorbikes, lawnmowers, pumps, chainsaws you name it, all need it.

Out of nowhere… BOOM!! 💥

Years of hard work, invaluable machinery, tools, trailers, tractors, the list goes on… all gone in an instant.

A stark wake-up call for all of us in the industry.

Please don't let this be you.

With this urgent reality check, let's delve into some actionable, tips and pointers for safe petrol storage ✅

📌 Requirements (Non-Negotiables)

• Ventilation 🌬️

  Choose an area that is well-ventilated to disperse fumes.

• Location 📍

  Keep at least 20-30 metres away from ignition sources, including electrical outlets and machinery.

• Safety Measures 🧯

  Keep fire extinguishers readily accessible near the storage area.

• Dedicated Fuel Shed 🏠

  A dedicated, separate shed for fuel storage constructed from non-flammable materials is a must.

💡 Tips (Good Practices)

• Heat & Pressure 🌡️

  Store jerry cans in a temperature-controlled environment to minimise heat-induced pressure buildup.

  Regularly inspect cans for bulging, a sign of pressure buildup.

• Caps & Vents 🔒

  Always secure the main cap tightly to prevent leaks.

  Breather vents should be closed to prevent vapour escape but opened when pouring to allow airflow.

• Secondary Containment

  Use a drip tray to catch spills.

• Maintenance 🔍

  Regularly inspect for rust, leaks, and other signs of wear.

🌟 Recommendations (For Optimal Safety)

• Extra Ventilation 🌀

  For larger storage operations, consider specialised tanks with built-in ventilation systems.

• Spill Kit 🚰

  Maintain a spill kit for leaks and minor spills.

• Choice of Jerry Cans 🍶

  Use high-grade, UV-resistant HDPE plastic cans for short-term, and metal cans with internal rust-resistant coating for long-term storage.

• Labelling 🏷️

  Label all jerry cans to avoid confusion.

Safety isn't just a practice; it's a culture. Make sure you tick off each point on this checklist to ensure the safe storage of petrol. The risk is real, and the price for neglect can be catastrophically high.

Stay safe!

🎥 Check out these YouTube videos to explore great examples of storage solutions—from compact jerry can boxes to large scale storage tank sheds.

💡 Want a bonus tip? Forward Q.U.I.P.S. to two farmer friends and reply letting us know. We’ll reply with the tip 😁

Information ℹ️

Nutrient Mobility in Soil 🧪

Last week we looked at nutrient mobility in plants. This week, we’re digging deeper—right into the soil. We'll unravel why nutrient mobility in soil is a different ball game altogether and why it's vital to understand it.

🔍 Here’s our Top 9 Insights on Nutrient Mobility in Soil:

1. Chemical Ions: For plant absorption, soil nutrients must exist as ions—molecules with either a positive or negative charge. Positively charged are Cations (+), and negatively charged are Anions (-).

2. Soil Charge: Most soil particles have a negative charge. The amount of negative charge depends on soil particle surface area. Large soil particles hold fewer charges (is less negative) than small soil particles. The measure of this is known as the Cation Exchange Capacity (CEC) and can be determined by a soil test. Higher CEC—soils have more nutrient-holding power because their higher charge can hold on to more Cations.

3. Charge & Mobility: Nutrient movement in soil is guided by its ionic form—Cations or Anions—and the strength of that charge.

4. Ionic Attraction: As the saying goes, opposites attract. Cations typically cozy up to soil particles, while Anions keep their distance, preferring to float freely.

5. Leach or Latch: ‘Free-floating’ Anions (-) readily travel wherever water carries them, leading to nutrient leaching. ‘Sticky’ Cations (+) tend to stay put, binding to soil and don’t flush out—even during torrential downpours.

6. Where to Test: Anions distribute evenly in soil—where the roots are, and where the roots aren’t. Cations don’t. That means your root zone could be deficient, even if the general soil isn't.

7. Know Your Soil CEC: Cations (+) are more readily bound to soil, resulting in these nutrients moving through the soil more slowly. However, since low CEC soils have fewer negative charges, cations will move more quickly through low CEC (sandy-based) soils than they will through high CEC (loamy and silt/clay-based) soils.

8. Rule Breakers: Beware of Phosphorus and Boron; they don’t play by the rules. Phosphorus notoriously locks up to soil particles, becoming unavailable to plants. Boron is another exception in that it is available to plants in a non-ionic form (no charge).

9. Climatic Influence: Another complication is that soils can be permanently-charged or variably-charged; knowing what we know now, the implications on nutrient mobility is obvious but what’s important to note is that, the more tropical the climate (increased rain and temperature) the greater the variability of charge. This just means that, in our subtropical utopia, we can never be certain about apparent nutritional issues based purely on what we understand the CEC of the soil to be.

📊 For our visual learners, here’s a comprehensive table summarising everything:

🖨️ Want to download or print out the table above? → (click here)

🤝 Thanks to:

• Gardin (link) &

• Michigan State University (link)

Picture 📷

Happy Spring! 🌞 

Happy Spring to all our farmers – of them all, THIS IS YOUR SEASON! May it be blessed and richly abundant, whatever it is you’re growing. 🌱

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Special Offer 🎁

Spring Has Sprung: Your TropicalBytes Stanley Flask is Here! 🎁

Ah, spring! That magical time of year which calls for new growth and farmers get that extra spring in their step. 😉 But let's be real, coffee is always in season.

So, what could possibly keep your favourite brew as steamy as our TropicalBytes Stanley Flask? We'll wait…

Just like Q.U.I.P.S., this flask is reliable, useful, and destined to be a staple in your morning routine.

Grab yours and you'll soon wonder how you ever farmed—or lived—without it.

→ Support QUIPS & Order Your Flask Here

That’s a wrap folks! We hope you enjoyed this week’s QUIPS.

Happy farming, deep learning, and warm smiles.

We'll see you next week! 🌱

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