ScreenTM Duo heat stress management for crops introduced by Certis USA

Date:05-02-2011

Heat, light and water stresses are the silent killers of plant productivity and harvest quality. These abiotic stresses cause up to 60 percent of all crop losses in modern agriculture. To reduce heat stress and sunburn, Certis USA introduces ScreenTM Duo, the latest generation of abiotic stress management technology that combines two modes of action providing protection of high-value crops, such as vegetables, melons, fruits, vines and seedlings from the outside and from within. When applied, Screen Duo forms a reflective barrier film to protect the plant tissue from damaging UV and IR light to reduce the overall temperature of the plant. In addition, Screen Duo contains a naturally occurring compound found in all crops that triggers the innate stress mechanism to protect the plant from abiotic stress from within. This dual action means that it provides superior protection at lower rates than competitive products, resulting in better yields and crop quality. Screen Duo does not limit a plant’s ability to photosynthesize or uptake nutrients and crop protection products.

Under high ambient temperatures, heat and light stress will wilt plants. As the damage mounts, plant tissue damage will occur resulting in “sunburn.” Even if a plant looks healthy, heat and light stress can reduce or completely halt photosynthesis. Water stress is also intricately involved with heat and light stress. When soil moisture is limited, a plant’s ability to cool itself through transpiration is impaired. Stomata close and leaf temperature increases. Ultimately tissue destruction and cell death occur.

Use of Screen Duo reduces plant transpiration and improves soil moisture status by as much as 25 percent. Crops treated with Screen Duo are cooler, and cooler crops use less water. In effect, cooler crops use available water more efficiently—less is used for cooling and more for photosynthesis. As a result, crops protected by Screen Duo exhibit increased carbohydrates, quality and yield, improved Brix/TSS, reduced flower abortion and reduced bi-annual bearing. Because sunburn damage is reduced by Screen Duo, marketable yields and grading quality increase.