If the sunlight, on the one hand, is essential to health and the development of plants can, on the other hand, when excessively intense, cause damage to the tissues, especially in the fruits, with burns and/or browning of the epidermis. Depending on the temperature we can distinguish two types of damage: necrosis and browning. The first occurs when the temperature of the fruit (which does not correspond to that of the air) exceeds 52 °C. Heat causes thermal death of epidermal and sub-epidermal cells causing the formation of a necrotic spot on the side of the fruit exposed to the sun. Browning, instead,occurs at fruit temperatures around 46-49 °C and does not result in necrosis but more simply causes the formation of color spots from yellow to bronze or brown on the side of the fruit exposed to the sun.
How to defend your crops.
Techniques to protect your crops against possible damages from radiation and excessive temperature are numerous and the effectiveness is bound to certain precautions within the limits allowed by the temperature itself. Crop damage, due to temperature rise, can effectively be counteracted by treating crops with CropAID AntiHeat (500 ml/hl) a few days before the event. The treatment can be done even later (up to 6-12 hours before the critical temperature is reached) but its effectiveness is strongly affected and it is only advised when it is not possible to predict the phenomenon well in advance. The treatment should be repeated throughout the hot period at weekly intervals. At least three treatments at a fortnightly rate are recommended, even if and when the peak of heat is over. These last applications are to ensure that crops quickly overcome the stress they suffered. The product has also a nutritional action and an effect on the growth of the crop. To ultimate the protection from the heat and for a faster recovery of the plant from the stress, we recommend the additional use of Seaweed Mix (250 ml/hl) (or Alga Special at the same dosage) the day before reaching the peak and then at weekly intervals for 2-4 times.
If the temperature rise is accompanied by strong sunlight, it is advisable to use SunStop LG. The product has a filtering / reflecting effect on electromagnetic radiation. It appears translucent when dry but is able to hinder the passage of radiation, into the infrared fraction, responsible for raising the temperature in plant tissues. Treatment should be carried out in advance and repeated at intervals determined by the rate of growth of the treated plant (fruits). The faster the growth the closer will have to be the treatments to ensure a constant and regular tissue coverage. Generally a treatment every 15-20 days, during the most intense period, could be enough.
Apply the product to the leaves/fruits before the air temperature exceeds 28-30 ° C. Repeat in case of washout. Distribute on the side most exposed to the insolation.