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Improved drying of sultana grapes
Grapes destined to become sultanas are dried at harvest by treatment with an oil emulsion (vegetable oil and potash) to speed their dehydration and produce high quality pale golden sultanas. Alkylsilicone (AS) adjuvants were identified as a potential means of reducing the very high volumes of drying emulsion and improving the evenness of coverage and penetration into grape bunches.
A field trial on commercial vines showed that the addition of the AS and halving the spray volume increased coverage of bunches and improved penetration into bunch centres. Moisture content of fruit at harvest was significantly less and fruit quality was significantly improved. Net profitability increased markedly relative to conventional practice.
Gaskin RE, MacGregor A. 2004. Adjuvants improve the evenness and efficiency of drying sultana grapes. 7th International Symposium on Adjuvants for Agrochemicals (ISAA 2004). 8-12 November 2004. Cape Town, South Africa.