The heat waves that central Chile is experiencing, even exceeding 41°C in San Felipe, are causing damage to cherry trees, which is pointed out by SmartCherry, who indicate that "high temperatures cause severe double pistils in buds with differentiated sepals and petal primordia compared to buds in the early stages of flower bud differentiation or buds that already have stamen and pistil primordia formed, suggesting that buds are more sensitive to the induction of an abnormal flower primordium in the transition state of sepal to petal differentiation."
Furthermore, in an article published by ASOEX they point out that “species in which the harvest has already taken place, such as cherry and blueberry trees in some localities, may already be in stages of differentiation (cherry trees) or induction of buds for the next year (blueberries, in some cases). Professor Oscar Carrasco, a leading cherry specialist, points out that, in the case of some varieties of this species, high temperatures can cause flowering problems leading to an excess of double fruits.”
Agralia, in its constant development, designs AGRICOVER© In addition to its benefits throughout the season, it is also very useful for preventing stress, mainly in summer due to excess radiation and temperature. This is especially beneficial in sections or sectors with low vigor, in weakening patterns or in areas of high radiation. This will allow for more comfortable plants, with better accumulation of reserves and differentiation of floral organs that will improve productivity during the following season.
Figure 1. Outdoor temperature and radiation measurements in cherry trees. 16-12-22, 16:00 hrs.
Figure 2. Temperature and radiation measurement in cherry trees under AGRICOVER©. 16-12-22, 16:00 hrs.
In short, AGRICOVER© Not only is it the ideal solution to protect cherry and other fruit crops, protecting them from rain, frost, hail, and avoiding cracking problems. With the correct handling and with the agrotechnical advice of AGRALIA It is possible to achieve better plant development by protecting them from high temperatures and excess radiation, thus ensuring good floral differentiation for the following season.
