Scientists Develop New Way to Protect Fruit from Frost

While the word “nanocrystals” may seem like something unrelated to tree fruits, a team of Washington State University (WSU) researchers is testing a new nanotechnology called nanocrystals to protect tree fruit against frost damage.

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WSU researchers are working with a $500,000 grant from the USDA’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture to develop a plant-based product that coats and protects fruit buds during cold snaps post-bloom. The nanocrystal solution was developed by Xiao Zhang, WSU Associate Professor, as well as a team of collaborators.

Field trials were conducted this spring.

“Our preliminary results show the technology to be very promising, even better than we were expecting,” Zhang told WSU news. “If we prove that the technology works, and if the method of application is perfected, it will not only have applications in tree fruit, but in many other crops, and beyond. The potential for this technology is huge.”

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