Why plant strength and fruit firmness are becoming harder for growers to ignore

Growers are expected to bring crops through the season with fewer weak points: better establishment, steadier development, reliable flowering and fruit set, and harvest quality that holds up commercially. When rooting is slow, plants lose vigour under stress, or fruit finishes unevenly, the impact reaches straight into yield and marketable output.

CROPMax by Holland Farming is a foliar biostimulant developed to support plants through those sensitive phases of development. Used alongside regular fertiliser programmes, it is designed to encourage root formation, vegetative growth, flowering, fruit development and crop finishing. Its formulation combines trace elements, amino acids, vitamins, polysaccharides and enzymes, with Holland Farming positioning the product around healthier plant development, improved stress response and stronger harvest quality.

Where the product fits

CROPMax is intended for use in crops such as strawberries, tomatoes and potatoes, where early plant strength, flowering, fruit set and final quality all shape the commercial result. The company’s crop guidance focuses on supporting plants at the stages when later performance is being set up, rather than treating yield and quality as problems to solve only at harvest.

French bean trial shows higher dry matter

A French bean trial in Mwea, Kirinyaga County, showed a notable gain in plant dry matter. Under a standard fertiliser regime, dry matter reached 17.6 g per plant. With CROPMax added, the figure rose to 22.8 g, a 29.6% increase.

The trial also compared a reduced fertiliser regime combined with CROPMax. That treatment reached 19.9 g per plant, still 13.2% above the full standard fertiliser programme.

For vegetable growers, the result is relevant because dry matter is tied to plant substance and crop development, not just surface growth. It suggests a stronger conversion of crop inputs into physical plant performance.

Strawberry data points to firmer fruit

The strawberry trial is especially useful from a fresh-market perspective. In tests on the Brilla variety, treated fruit recorded slightly higher average Brix, at 6.407 compared with 6.319 in the control.

The firmer result came in fruit texture. CROPMax-treated berries reached 109.5% of the control level for firmness, with the table showing an average of 1,039.7 against 949.4 for untreated fruit.

That matters because strawberries do not need a dramatic shift to change their commercial value. Even a moderate improvement in firmness can support handling, shelf appearance and the share of fruit that reaches the buyer in better condition.

Looking beyond yield alone

In fresh produce, small improvements in crop development or fruit quality can make a visible commercial difference by harvest. With its focus on plant strength, firmness and overall crop performance, CROPMax by Holland Farming is aimed at growers looking to improve both production and marketable quality. 

Growers interested in CROPMax can send their inquiry for a free consultation.