Episode 3: Pear Sunburn in Today’s PNW Conditions
From the Ag Information Network, I’m Bob Larson with today’s Fruit Grower Report.
As pear fruit continues to size through late spring and early summer, growers are keeping a close eye on sun exposure.
With more frequent heat spikes and intense sun events across the PNW in recent seasons, sunburn has become a growing concern for pear growers.
Joining us now is Thiago Moraes, North America Sales Manager for Cultiva. So, Thiago are you seeing sunburn becoming more of a consistent issue in pears?
• Heat events are becoming more frequent in many fruit growing regions.
• During the summer, high solar radiation coupled with high air temperatures increased the likelihood for sunburn and other skin disorders in pears
• Last season, growers in the PNW experienced an extreme weather event that led to prolonged exposure to intense heat and light that resulted in significant sunburn and heat damage in pears.
So, like last season, when the Pacific Northwest experienced an extreme weather event that led to prolonged exposure to intense heat that resulted in significant sunburn and heat damage, what can growers do Thiago, to stay ahead of that kind of risk?
• Take a proactive approach by focusing on protecting the cuticlebefore major heat events.
• Parka® can help growers reduce sunburn in pears by up to 18% over traditional kaolin clay coatings.
• Its three modes of action help increase the plant’s overall antioxidant capacity to use excess sunlight for photosynthesis and prevent photo-oxidation that causes sunburn.
Thanks Thiago! Visit cultiva.com or contact your local Cultivasales rep.
