Post Harvest
Post-harvest management and quality is important to most fruit and vegetable growers. Growers of leafy greens, for example, often face challenges with keeping their vegetables fresh and crisp because of the way they are packaged and sold. Prewashed, cut and/or bagged, tissues of leafy greens tend to break down quickly, and they may emit an “off smell” or start showing symptoms of poor quality such as oxidation, wilting and decay. Acadian Plant Health™ agricultural solutions will help extend the post-harvest quality of your fruits or vegetables, giving you the competitive edge you’ve been looking for.
FRUITS AND VEGETABLES OFTEN HAVE TO TRAVEL LONG DISTANCES. USE ACADIAN PLANT HEALTH™ AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTS TO:
- Improve post-harvest appearance
- Improve firmness
- Reduce decay and post-harvest loses
SCIENTIFICALLY PROVEN, FIELD-TESTED SOLUTIONS
Romaine Lettuce Field Trial
ROMAINE LETTUCE FIELD TRIAL
CALIFORNIA, UNITED STATES
Note: Different letters indicate statistically significant differences between treatments. (LSD, 6 DAH p=.002, 9 DAH p=.04, 12 DAH p=.06)
Scale: 1=perfect and 10=imperfect
Note: Different letters indicate statistically significant differences between treatments. (LSD, 6 DAH p=.01, 9 DAH p=.12)
Scale: 1=perfect and 10=imperfect
Years of lettuce trials showed similar results on post-harvest handling. In this trial, packaged lettuce that had been treated with an Acadian Plant Health™ agricultural product showed improved crispness and reduced oxidation up to 12 days post-harvest. Farmers selling lettuce that remains crisp and fresh-looking when packaged will be able to get more money for their goods as they can promote the increased post-harvest handling and shelf-life of their produce.
Table Grape Field Trial - Red Globe
TABLE GRAPE FIELD TRIAL – RED GLOBE
REGION XIII, CHILE
In this table grape trial, grapes were harvested and stored at 0°C for 60 days. At the end of the 60 days, they were evaluated to determine berry quality. As seen in the graph, applications of an Acadian Plant Health™ agricultural product decreased the incidence of post-harvest shatter (fruit drop).
Table Grapes Field Trial - Ruby Seedless
TABLE GRAPES FIELD TRIAL ‘RUBY SEEDLESS’
CALIFORNIA, UNITED STATES
In this table grapes trial, grapes were harvested and evaluated for rot 37 days post-harvest. Upon examination, it was clear that bunches treated with an Acadian Plant Health™ agricultural product were showing far less symptoms of rot.
Hydroponic Tomato Greenhouse Trial
HYDROPONIC TOMATO GREENHOUSE TRIAL ‘TRUST’
DR. JAMES S. CRAIGIE RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT CENTER, CANADA
In this tomato greenhouse trial, tomatoes were kept at room temperature and their quality was assessed for a period of time after harvesting had taken place. As seen in the photos, applications of an Acadian Plant Health™ crop care product led to fresher-looking tomatoes up to eight weeks post-harvest.
GENERAL APPLICATION GUIDELINES
A foliar application of an Acadian agricultural product is recommended three days prior to harvest. Applications made during the growing season will enhance yield and further contribute to post-harvest quality. Applications during the growing season should be made every two to three weeks. For all post-harvest benefits, please consult your local Acadian representative for more specific rates and application instructions.
HOW DOES ACADIAN PLANT HEALTH™ HELP WITH POST-HARVEST LOSES AND QUALITY?
Improving post-harvest quality and extending the shelf-life of highly perishable fruits and vegetables can help farmers access new markets as their produce will be able to withstand shipments to faraway destinations. Multiple bioactive compounds found within Acadian agricultural products help plants do just that.
- They contain key polysaccharides (complex carbohydrates) that trigger antioxidant production within plants. Antioxidants protect plants from pre- and post-harvest damage caused by harmful molecules called free radicals.
- They encourage the production of proline (an amino acid) that strengthens cell walls within plants so that they don’t break down as easily post-harvest.
- Some contain oligosaccharides (complex carbohydrates) that stimulate plant defense mechanisms so that plants can better fend off post-harvest loses from rot and decay caused by fungi or bacteria.