Agricooler and cooling hours

Use of AGRICOOLER® to improve the accumulation of chill hours in cherry trees.

16 March 2021 – Agralia News

Winter cold is essential for perennial plants and for deciduous plants to complete their dormancy. When sufficient cold hours are not accumulated, bud development is altered, fruit set decreases, and overall yield is reduced due to flower abortion and poor reserve mobilization. This imbalance affects the plant’s natural cycle, leading to irregular growth and lower production potential.

Use of AGRICOOLER® to increase cold hours in cherry trees

AGRALIA® promotes innovative technologies to improve productive management, and AGRICOOLER® helps increase cold hours by preventing IR radiation from raising the temperature of the plants. Winter cold is key to completing dormancy; when it does not accumulate enough, bud development is altered, fruit set decreases, and yield is reduced.

Methodology and Treatments

To carry out this trial, a field of Agrícola El Carmelo, located in Buin, Metropolitan Region, was selected. Two treatments were established, in which 4 rows were selected:
T0: Cherry plant, without Protection.
T1: Cherry plant, with AGRICOOLER®

Evaluations and comparative temperature measurements

The measurements were carried out using LOGtag temperature sensors, ensuring accuracy and continuity in recording. Comparisons were made between two conditions: T0, plants exposed without a cover, and T1, plants protected with AGRICOOLER®. This analysis made it possible to objectively evaluate the difference in accumulation of chilling hours and the actual impact of using the cover on crop temperature.

The difference in temperatures generated during heat spikes can be clearly observed, where low levels are maintained with the use of AGRICOOLER®, thus being essentially important for the accumulation of chilling hours and their quality in warm climates such as central Chile.