As temperatures in Victoria’s Sunraysia region soared to record levels in January, citrus and table grape producer Cottrell Farms reported promising crop resilience after its first season using calcium formulation Cellmate from Sumitomo Chemical Australia’s range.

The family-owned operation, run by brothers Peter, Andrew and Matthew Cottrell and farm manager Andrew Donaldson, trialled Cellmate for the first time in 2025 on the recommendation of trusted, long-time adviser Frank Galluccio, Sumitomo Riverina and Victoria general manager.

The Cottrells manage 200ha of citrus (lemons, oranges, mandarins and grapefruit) and 25ha of table grapes (Crimson seedless, Red Globe and Autumn Royal) at Nangiloc, near Mildura.

The medium-large business focuses on the premium standards required for demanding Asian export markets and domestic supply.

In an ongoing quest for optimal crop health and fruit quality, it is an eager adopter of emerging chemistries.

With fruit firmness the primary driver of market value, the Cellmate trial targeted Crimson seedless grapes – a variety susceptible to softening on ripening – and Washington Navel oranges.

“We need fruit to be firm for transit, storage, and shelf life; not soft and spongy,” Peter explains.

“Despite seven straight days over 40°C, and one day at Mildura reaching a record 49°C, the trial rows of both lines have held up well,” he says.

“The fruit is firmer, sounder, and showing better potential shelf life than untreated rows.

“We won’t know the results until the February-March harvest, but pre-harvest fruit is looking fantastic and promising great results.

“Despite the heat, the berries remain firm and even and we’re eager to see the final results,” he says.

In the citrus orchard, Cellmate was also applied on Washington Navel oranges twice after fruit set at the same rate, with the pre-harvest result presenting more uniform sizing and good firmness.

“I like Cellmate because it has a biostimulant effect and mixes very well with other products,” Peter adds.

“Frank is an asset to the industry and a valuable source of information,” he says.

“We’ve worked with him for a very long time and take what he says very seriously. His advice on Cellmate has been spot-on.”

A liquid nutrient, Cellmate combines calcium with boron, molybdenum, and complex organic matter (COM) to ensure rapid uptake within the plant.

It is designed for foliar applications to provide calcium and other nutrients which may be deficient in the soil or plant.

Following the promise shown by the Cellmate trial, he says the business will explore Sumitomo’s citrus range including biostimulant, Transit and specialised zinc formulation Zicron to further optimise crop health and fruit quality.

Sumitomo has an end-to-end suite of crop protection solutions for Australia’s citrus industry.