Stoller Europe experience.
Throughout last week, in the area of Covilhã (Portugal) and specifically in the town of Orjais -where the nectarine plantation is located, whose pictures are attached -, “white” frosts occurred, caused by evaporation or convection, reaching temperatures as low as (-3.5) C.
This type of frost damages the plant by taking advantage of its heat to: change the physical state of water, acting on the balance of the temperature-humidity system of the environment at dawn.
The stress produced by this physical aggression, triggers in the plant, as a protection, the synthesis of ethylene; slowing down its metabolism and triggering senescence processes.
Preventive treatments or in post-emergence of Bioforge, give the plant the possibility to regulate ethylene synthesis, which gives the option of being able to overcome the stress situation and minimize the damage produced.
It should be noted that: in order to maintain this stress signal under control and recover the hormonal balance, the treatment should be repeated after 5-6 days, enriching it with Cytokinin promoters –Citocalcium-, which will speed up the regeneration of the damaged areas and restore the hormonal balance of the plant.
* The first photo belongs to the Control, untreated, and presents a burnt ovary as a result of the low temperature stress. The following image belongs to a tree treated with 1.5 L/Ha of BIOFORGE the day before the expected frost date in the area. This photo shows the ovary in perfect conditions.
** Photographs taken by NUTRIFIELD, Stoller distributor in Portugal.