VADPAGRO has introduced its innovative product «EQUI-SUN», as a preventive program that combines a liquid sunscreen and an anti-cracking agent to protect cherry trees. The pre-harvest application program was carried out to protect against cracking in one of the varieties most susceptible to this problem, Brooks, even more so when the harvest is just a few days away. This application was carried out in the Mallarauco area, located in the Province of Melipilla, Metropolitan Region.
EQUI-SUN is suggested for use as a preventive program in pre-harvest from 5% on fruit with color change, and is especially designed to protect cherry trees and other species against damage caused by sunstroke and fruit cracking. This product combines a liquid sunscreen with anti-cracking properties thanks to amino acids and low molecular weight polysaccharides from vegetable hydrolysates, promoting the formation of pectins, which are the main elastic and porous component of the cell wall, reducing internal pressure and cracking. The application of EQUI-SUN is an effective strategy to minimize the risks associated with harvesting and adverse weather conditions.
Applications Timeline:
● First Application (Monday October 16, 2023): At this stage, 2 liters of EQUI-SUN per hectare were applied in the cherry field in the Mallarauco area.
● Second Application (Wednesday October 25, 2023): The second application was brought forward a few days due to the forecast of rain for Saturday. Again 2 litres of EQUI-SUN per hectare were applied.
Monitoring and Results:
On Saturday, October 28, 2023, at noon, a video was made showing the preliminary progress of the application of EQUI-SUN in the Brooks cherry orchard in Mallarauco. This orchard was less than a week away from starting the harvest and faced a high risk of fruit cracking due to the forecasted rains that finally amounted to 6mm in 18 effective hours of precipitation. Before the rains, two episodes of drizzle had already been recorded, the last of them and stronger on Friday, October 27, early in the morning.
On Monday, October 30th in the afternoon, the final results of the application of EQUI-SUN as part of the preventive program on the Brooks variety in the Mallarauco area were presented. The results demonstrated the effectiveness of EQUI-SUN in reducing damage caused by sunburn and mainly in fruit cracking, resulting in, according to the field itself, between 8 and 10% of cracking.
ConclorEQUI-SUN functions and benefits:
EQUI-SUN offers a versatile solution for the protection of cherry trees, with zero residues and zero deposits on the fruit (I can apply today and harvest tomorrow). In addition, this product can be applied both pre-harvest to reduce damage caused by sunburn and cracking, and post-harvest to protect bud differentiation and to provide starch reserves. It is considered one of the most complete and multifunctional sunscreens and anti-cracking products on the market in Chile and around the world.
Farmers interested in obtaining a customized program according to their area, variety and phenological state can contact VADPAGRO through their website at www.vadpagro.clThe VADPAGRO team is available 24 hours a day to provide the best program strategy for your crop.
EQUI-SUN represents an innovative and effective solution for the protection of cherry crops and other fruit and vegetable species in all regions of Chile, helping to minimize the risks associated with adverse weather conditions and guaranteeing a high-quality harvest, with better returns for the producer.
