Field-Cote® CRF

+32.7% More Yield

in Red Currant

A three-season independent trial by Delphy demonstrates that plant-hole treatment with Field-Cote Controlled Release Fertilizer significantly outperforms the grower standard at new red currant plantations in yield, growth rate, and return on investment.

Trial Partner
Delphy / CAF
Duration
2016 – 2018
Location
Herwijnen, NL
Crop
Red Currant cv. Rovada
Treatments
15 total
YIELD VS. GROWER STANDARD
+ 0 %
3-SEASON CUMULATIVE YIELD
0 t/ha
NET EXTRA PROFIT/HA AT € 3/KG
€ 0

Trial summary

This independent field trial tested whether enriching the plant hole at establishment could accelerate growth and increase yields in new red currant plantations. Conducted by Delphy in collaboration with CAF, it tracked 15 different plant-hole treatments across three full growing seasons under commercial production conditions.

The verdict is clear: Field-Cote CRF, applied at planting in combination with quality potting soil, consistently delivered the highest cumulative yields of any treatment tested, while generating a compelling return on the additional investment.

Field-Cote CRF produced 22 tonnes per hectare over three seasons, versus 16.6 tonnes for the untreated grower standard. That is a yield increase of +32.7%, generating over € 10,820/ha in net additional profit at a selling price of € 3/kg.

Trial objective

The first 1–2 seasons in a new red currant orchard are critical. Plants must build their root system and vegetative framework before reaching full production capacity. Growers who accelerate this phase earn significantly more over the plantation’s productive lifetime, which can span 15 to 20 years.

The objective was to evaluate whether different plant-hole treatments, particularly controlled release fertilizers (CRFs), could improve early establishment, branch development, and cumulative yield in red currant variety Rovada planted in clay soils.

Trial setup

The trial was carried out at a commercial grower’s site under real production conditions, ensuring all results are directly applicable to practice.

CROP

Red currant cv. Rovada

1-year old, 2 branches

DURATION

April 2016 – 2018

3 full growing seasons

LOCATION & SOIL

Herwijnen, Netherlands

Clay soil (~25% settable)

TREATMENTS

15 total

12 at planting + 3 added spring 2017

PLANTING DENSITY

2.70 m × 0.60 m

6,170 plants per ha

PARTNERS

Delphy & CAF

Research & co-execution

Three Treatment Categories Compared

TREATMENT A

Grower Standard

Planted directly in native clay soil. Standard mineral fertilization (KAS, sulphuric potash, potassium nitrate) in season 2.

TREATMENT B

Potting Soil

10 litres quality potting soil added to the plant hole at planting. Same standard mineral fertilization as grower standard in season 2.

TRIAL PRODUCT — MIVENA TREATMENT C

Field-Cote® CRF

10 litres potting soil + 25 g/plant Field-Cote CRF at planting. 250 kg/ha Field-Cote applied in season 2. No standard mineral fertilization needed.

Results

From season one, Field-Cote CRF-treated plants developed more branches, initiated earlier fruit production, and accumulated higher yields. The advantage compounded every year, and at the three-season mark, the yield gap had grown to 5.4 tonnes per hectare.

CUMULATIVE PRODUCTION PER HECTARE — 2016 TO 2018
Grower Standard (untreated)
16.6 t/ha
Baseline
Potting Soil — no CRF
19.9 t/ha
+19.9% vs. grower standard
Field-Cote® CRF by Mivena ★ Best result
22.0 t/ha
+32.7% vs. grower standard
Source: Delphy / CAF trial, Herwijnen NL, 2016–2018. Red Currant cv. Rovada, 6,170 plants/ha. Field-Cote CRF: 10L potting soil + 25 g/plant Field-Cote (Mivena) + 250 kg/ha season 2. Best-performing treatment per category shown.
more yield over 3 seasons
+ 0 %

Field-Cote CRF outperforms the grower standard in every measured category

CRF-treated plants produced 248 new branches in season 1 vs. 114 for untreated controls, building a larger framework that compounded into 5.4 additional tonnes per hectare over the full trial. For a perennial crop like red currant, this early advantage is commercially transformative.

Conclusion

Three years of independent field data consistently point in the same direction: investing in quality plant-hole treatment with Field-Cote CRF at planting delivers measurable, durable, and commercially significant benefits in red currant production.

Stronger Early Establishment

CRF-treated plants averaged 248 new branches in season 1 vs. just 114 for untreated controls — building a larger framework that paid dividends for years.

Earlier & Higher Production

Field-Cote CRF plants began producing in the first growing season. The yield advantage compounded each season as the larger canopy generated more fruit.

Positive ROI at Any Price

Even at € 2/kg selling price, Field-Cote CRF generated over € 5,400/ha net additional profit after covering all extra costs — a compelling business case.

Labour Efficiency Gain

CRF's slow-release mechanism reduced the need for repeated fertilizer applications in season 2, partially offsetting the product investment cost.

Recommendation

For growers establishing new red currant plantations, particularly on heavier clay soils, the combination of quality potting soil with Field-Cote CRF in the plant hole is strongly supported by this three-season trial. The investment is modest relative to the long productive life of a currant orchard (15–20 years), and the yield uplift of over 32% in the critical first three seasons makes a clear case for adoption as standard practice at plantation establishment.

Interested in Field-Cote® CRF for Your Soft Fruit Plantation?

Learn more about Field-Cote CRF or contact our team for advice on
plant-hole treatment for your crop and soil.

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Trial conducted by Delphy in collaboration with CAF · Herwijnen, The Netherlands · 2016–2018 · Crop: Red Currant cv. Rovada · Field-Cote CRF supplied by Mivena BV. Results reflect independent trial data from a single commercial grower location. Individual results may vary depending on soil type, local conditions, variety, and crop management. © Mivena BV · Sprangseweg 13C · 5144 NV Waalwijk · info@mivena.nl

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