Features Production Research
Purshade reduces sunburn and improves grade

July 30, 2009 – July 30, 2009, Fremont, Calif – Purfresh has
announced that apple growers have experienced a 15-25% improvement in
returns with Purshade™ solar protectant.

July 30, 2009, Fremont, Calif – Purfresh, has announced that apple growers have experienced a 15-25% improvement in returns with Purshade™ solar protectant. Field trials on multiple varieties, including Granny Smith and Fuji’s, have shown significant decreases in physical sun-related damage, along with an overall increase in fruit size. Designed to protect crops from solar and water stress, Purshade— based on Advanced Reflectance Technology™ (ART) —reflects harmful wavelengths of solar radiation such as ultraviolet (UV) and infrared (IR), while allowing transmission of sufficient sunlight for photosynthesis. During a time of strong global competition and weak returns, maximizing every acre planted is an important issue for apple growers.
 
The impact of solar stress on apples has been evaluated extensively in studies conducted in United States, Chile, New Zealand and Australia, and has been shown to affect a wide range of varieties, including Gala, Granny Smith, Fuji, Braeburn, and Honey Crisp. In the U.S. alone, sunburn-related cullage rates average 10-25% and cost the industry more than $100 million every year. Rated among the top three reasons for cullage, solar stress can damage the fruit surface with white, yellow, bronze, and brown discoloration, and can occur even in normal temperatures and growing conditions. Purshade, scientifically developed to protect against solar stress, reflects as much as 90-98% of harmful UV radiation, and has been shown to keep plant surfaces 5-9 degrees Fahrenheit cooler than untreated plants.

“Too much sun can lead to costly losses including reduced marketable yield and degradation in quality,” said Tom Justmann, general manager, plant health group for Purfresh. “With Purshade, growers have experienced more intense color, longer storage life, and increased pack-out—characteristics that make their products more marketable and value against global competition.

“Organic growers also face solar stress challenges and previously have not had an effective solution to rely on. To meet their needs, we expanded the Purshade family and introduced Purshade-O, a liquid calcium-based formulation certified by OMRI. With the addition of Purshade-O, conventional and organic producers can benefit from superior solar protection,” added Justmann.
 
“We are always looking for effective organic/OMRI listed products like Purshade-O," said Del Vanderhoff, president of Chamberlin Distributing Inc. "We have found this product provides superior and environmentally friendly weather protection that leaves no residue after harvest. These qualities and its competitive price enable our growers to compete with countries such as Chile and New Zealand that export apples throughout the world. As a supplier of crop protection products, we are pleased to offer Purshade products to our growers that help maintain the high quality of fruit grown in the Pacific Northwest."
 
The patents pending Purshade family of products is manufactured in multiple locations in the U.S. and is locally distributed via strategic partners worldwide. Purshade is applied to crops using standard spray equipment, including ground, aerial and tower sprayers, and is easy to mix, apply, remove, and store.