Help Your Crops Stand Up Strong To Cold Snaps

A single cold snap event, if improperly managed, can heavily impact an orchard and turn months of hard work into financial loss. Extreme weather is no longer a distant concern — it is an urgent threat. Growers now rank extreme weather and climate events as the second-greatest risk to profit, according to the American Fruit Grower’s 2024 State of the Industry grower survey. A decade ago, weather was not even considered a top risk. Abrupt cold snaps can devastate crops, causing cellular damage, reducing plant vigor and leading to significant losses in yield and quality.

In 2024 up to 75% of the ‘Concord’ grape harvest in Chautauqua County, NY, was damaged by a late frost event. Abiotic stresses, including weather events, are often considered uncontrollable. But with biostimulant technologies, growers can take back control.

In October 2024, BASF partnered with Acadian Plant Health to develop climate-resilient products. By integrating Acadian’s biostimulants, the companies are arming growers to navigate this new reality. The partnership illustrates the value of biostimulants in enhancing natural plant defenses to mitigate the impacts of cold temperatures and support recovery from stress.

Research demonstrates these biostimulants activate key mechanisms in plants to combat freezing temperatures by upregulating cold-responsive genes like COR15A and RD29A and regulating metabolic processes under stress, resulting in greater survivability. Additionally, they promote the accumulation of osmoprotectants, such as proline and soluble sugars.

In trials, plants treated with biostimulants showed a 30% to 40% reduction in tissue damage and faster recovery following exposure to sub-zero temperatures. This protection can translate directly into economic and environmental benefits on the field.

Beyond reducing cold stress, biostimulants are being used to counter abiotic stresses such as drought and salinity.

But why biostimulants? Unlike synthetic frost protectants, biostimulants are derived from natural compounds, which stimulate natural pathways within the plant. This minimizes the impact to the environment while maintaining food safety. For growers, this means a dual benefit: enhancing crop resilience while supporting climate-smart agriculture.

For fruit growers, adopting biostimulants is a step toward future-proofing operations against climate change. Trials on frost-sensitive crops such as grapes and apples show promising results, with reduced damage and improved post-stress recovery. These outcomes are critical as growers contend with shorter, less predictable growing seasons and heightened risks of extreme weather.

As extreme weather challenges grow, so does the need for resilient agricultural practices. Growers who harness the power of biostimulants today are not just protecting their crops — they are investing in the future of agriculture. By harnessing these tools, the future of farming can remain productive, sustainable, and prepared — no matter what the weather brings.