How new research could prevent frost damage in orchards
When spring comes a little early, it can be a harrowing time for fruit growers as trees emerge from dormancy and prepare for bloom. Early spring can come at a cost when Mother Nature once again reminds growers who is in charge with a late-spring frost that can damage emerging buds and blooms.
British Columbia-based Collin Juurakko, founder of Advanced Agriscience, researched frost damage and formation in his post-graduate studies, and he’s hoping to take what he learned to develop biological products to mitigate and prevent frost crystals from forming in specialty crop plants.
Advanced Agriscience was named runner-up for Bioenterprise’s national Green Pursuit competition in Canada in the fall.
In this latest episode of the Tip of the Iceberg podcast, Juurakko talks about his research and how frost formations aren’t all just ice crystals, but also biological. He says in his post-graduate research that he focused on understanding the molecular genetics of low-temperature stress and how frost formed.
Juurakko says as temperatures drop below 32 degrees Fahrenheit, ice-nucleating bacteria tricks water molecules into forming ice crystals. And his research is focused on using biocontrols to prevent the bacteria from forming ice crystals.
“We're really taking a different approach to frost protection,” he said. “Our biopesticides based on this research that we're developing use these microbes and protective proteins based on those critical genes for survival and with this research, so we can directly inhibit the cause of frost with molecular precision. Not just protecting against frost, but also trying to prevent it from ever even forming by reducing the incidence of those ice nucleation events.”
Juurakko says he hopes his research helps develop more cost-effective methods of frost control to better help growers in the future.
“What we’re seeing right now in a lot of areas in Canada and the U.S. where these fairly early warmer temperatures are leading to early budding and if temperatures just hit back down to where frost can form it can really cause a lot of damage in and wipe out those crops,” he said.
Listen to this podcast episode using the player above or by clicking here.
