Orange peel essential oil optimizes application of agrochemicals, glyphosate research reveals

Orange peel essential oil optimizes the application of agrochemicals, a two-year study by the University of Illinois in the United States has revealed.

Unlike mineral oils and other petroleum refining by-products, such as silicones, orange peel essential oil is naturally assimilated by plants, being quickly absorbed by them without damaging the waxy layer.

In this way, it generates a rapid translocation to the sites of action of herbicides, fungicides, acaricides, or foliar fertilizers mixed with the spray mixture, also acting as a great ally of Integrated Pest Management (IPM).

According to the University of Illinois study, 15 minutes after its application, glyphosate was completely absorbed and translocated to the entire length of the leaf and, subsequently, to the entire plant, especially the roots, even if it rains after this period.

In addition, the substance does not change the pH of the water, as can happen with common silicone additives or petroleum-based by-products.

Another critical difference is that the very high homogenization capacity prevents the filters and nozzles of the sprayer tips from clogging.

Besides research centers, thousands of farmers all over Brazil have reported the same results, proving the effectiveness of the orange peel essential oil.

The producer does not need to stop spraying to perform equipment maintenance, reducing process costs.

The essential oil is extracted from the orange peel during juice extraction, in a process carried out without using chemical products.

It is considered a noble product in the pharmaceutical, food, and cosmetic industries, due to the antibacterial, antioxidant, antifungal, and insecticide applications attributed to it.

This is because, unlike D-Limonene, a by-product of bagasse used by the industry, mainly as a solvent, the essential oil of orange peel used in crops and pastures has more than 100 natural compounds.

″It is important not to confuse orange peel oil with products made from D-limonene, which will only have the characteristic aroma and color,″ warned Fernando de Pieri Prando, National Sales Manager at Oro Agri, a multinational whose southern America branch is established in the Brazilian state of Paraná.

According to him, the integrity of compounds is responsible for the differentials of this raw material. An interesting fact, is that the effects of orange peel oil in agriculture were discovered by accident, Prando said.

South African businessman Erroll Pullen, who is currently CEO of Oro Agri, a company of the Rovensa Group discovered it. He holds the patent for oil from orange peel in agriculture and livestock.

Oro Agri is an acronym for Orange Oil for Agriculture or Orange Peel Oil for Agriculture, translated into Portuguese.

(Editing by Leonardo Gottems, reporter for AgroPages)