It seems that every time you open the daily newspaper, or watch the nightly news, there is a story about chemicals polluting the environment. Frequently, the blame is cast upon farmers whether they are at fault or not.

Jim Young, a San Joaquin Valley raisin grower, has been disturbed by these reports and decided to replace his fungicides with a new poly antistress product called Anti Stress 550 supplied by Polymer Ag Incorporated.

Another reason for trying Anti Stress 550 was due to a poor 1988 crop caused by stress. "Stress was hurting my crops and I wanted to be responsible to the environment, so I tried this product and it worked for me," said Young.

This product, supplied by Dr. Demos Gallender of Polymer Ag, is sprayed over the vine like a chemical, yet instead of adding a poison to the leaves, it lays a thin sheet of plastic over the entire vine. This application limits transpiration and thus reduces plant stress by 30% to 35%.

Of course this also reduces water and pumping costs, increases transplant survival rate, and more importantly for the season that is upon us, it adds 4 to 6 degrees F of frost protection. When stress caused by drought, heat, transplant or shock is reduced, costs are reduced, crops improve, and profits climb.

Because Anti Stress 550 is a nontoxic biodegradable product, it is safe for use and requires no training or permits to use. It is 100% water soluble and does not contain harmful ingredients that are polluting or toxic to the environment and the human race. It is a safe product and this is a big reason Jim Young began to use it.

"I used it twice on my 1989 crop, at about a half gallon per acre. My total cost per acre was $35.00, but 1 didn't have to use the chemicals others had to," expressed Young. "it really did make a difference."

"My vines were greener than any of the surrounding vineyards. I had the biggest and best crop I've ever had, with the biggest berries ever. If it weren't for the rains this year, it would be a complete success story. I was able to deliver 95% of my crop though."

"In July, Sunmaid came out to my vineyard and ran a stress test. I had not irrigated for a while and I received a 2.5. On that day, 3 and above were considered under stress. Then Sunmaid went across the street and measured 4.5 in a vineyard that had just been irrigated."

Another added benefit that Jim did not expect was that this product would also help in controlling insects. "I had no mite problems all season and leaf hoppers didn't appear until after July," said Young. "I guess with the poly coat they just didn't recognize my vines as food."

"This year I plan to make 3 applications, the first for frost of course in April. With the benefits I'm receiving I can't lose. It will protect my crop from frost, reduce the dust on my leaves, eliminate mites, and reduce stress. Plain and simply, it puts a plastic coat on the leaves which acts as a protectant and keeps evaporation down. I'm really happy with the results and predict greater success in 1990." Young expressed. "This is really a great move toward reducing chemical use in the raisin industry without losing the benefits."

The Grape Grower, May 1990, Pages 6-9, By Pat Cavanaugh

'Poly What?'

Anti-Stress Polymer Drawing Rave Reviews

When polymers were first promoted for use in agriculture, some people responded with "poly what?" Today however, grape growers are finding some polymers may have a place in farming... especially in preventing stress caused by drought, heat and freezing. Moreover, several growers have also found that foliar-applied liquid polymers can reduce insect pressure while increasing grape yields.

What's A Polymer?

The term polymer represents a type of chemical compound or mixture of compounds formed by polymerization --- a chemical reaction in which two or more small molecules combine to form larger molecules that contain repeating structural units of the original molecules.

Most people associate polymers with the compound polyacrylamide, a sponge-like material that absorbs and holds water far in excess of its own weight. These polymers are sold in a dry form and typically mixed in soil to store excess water for later use by the plant. They have been widely used in forestry in hillside tree plantings and by interior landscapers to extend maintenance cycles on indoor plants.

Other polymers are made from acrylic latex materials like the product manufactured by Polymer Ag in Fresno known as Anti-Stress 550. It is a foliar spray that forms a thin, flexible film over plant leaves and fruit-theoretically protecting it from climatic stress.

Users also report significant water savings from reducing transpiration 30% to 50%. Several grape growers near Fresno experimented with the product last season and were so satisfied with the results that they are either repeating or expanding their use this year.

Earlier Harvest

Dennis McFarlin, of Orange Cove. Calif. is convinced that the liquefied polymers will allow him to harvest his 20 acres of Ruby Seedless table grapes sooner because they will mature quicker, based on his trials last season.

"At about five percent bloom and right after we applied Rally fungicide for mildew, I sprayed half my acreage with one quart per acre of the AntiStress with 40 gallons of water." explained McFarlin.

McFarlin applied the polymer on a 21 day cycle with an Air-O-Fan sprayer until the first week of July. "The results in the treated vines were surprising," McFarlin said. "We normally pick at the end of September, but last year we picked in mid-August. I know a lot of guys were early last year, but not five weeks early. Plus. we normally have trouble getting sugars beyond 20 brix, yet last year we went to 23."

The untreated vines not only did not size up well, but it was October before sugar reached 20. At that point, the grapes had to go to the winery because heavy October rains ruined them for the fresh market.

McFarlin also noticed that in the treated vines his leafhopper levels were lower than the untreated vines. "I really don't know what happened," he said. "The polymer is not sold as an insecticide. but in the untreated block the hoppers required two extra sprays in July and early August to get them under economic control."

Based on the success last season, McFarlin plans on applying the polymer on all his acreage this year. "If I can get my grapes in early, that's a big plus. And, if I can reduce my pesticide sprays, that's even better," he said.

Anti-Stress Agent

Developed and formulated by Polymer AG owner Demos Gallender, the anti-stress product is a carbon chain membrane that permits gases to freely exchange. "The polymer doesn't shut down transpiration on the plant leaves." noted Gallender. "It merely slows it down."

Gallender said the product essentially lays a thin sheet of plastic over the entire vine, but it does not interfere with normal stomatic activities or photosynthesis. "As stress is reduced, the plant is free to grow and produce to its maximum potential," he said.

Jim Young, a raisin grower in Kerman used the compound last year and got the best yields he's had in 10 years. Young farms 140 acres of Thompson seedless and more than half of his vines are more than 100 years old. "The vines are on sandy soils where moisture retention is a problem. I thought I'd try the polymer to see if I could lessen the stress the vines are under in mid-summer," noted Young. "I ended up with 300 tons of grapes where I normally get 250 tons."

In the second week of June, he applied a half-gallon of polymer per acre in 60 gallons of water, Four weeks later he applied another half-gallon with 100 gallons of water per acre for additional coverage on the larger canopy. His total cost per acre was around $35.

"Throughout the season the vines maintained a healthy and vigorous appearance, and I noticed that the lush canopy contributed to a significant decrease in sunburn."

Similar to McFarlin's observation. Young experienced an unexpected benefit in terms of insect control. "I normally have to spray for mites and leafhoppers every year, but after applying the anti-stress agent, I didn't have any insect pressure at all.

"This season I applied the polymer in early April for frost control, and I plan to make two more applications to maintain my crop and optimize my yields again," Young said.

Gallender said that product is only sold as a stress reducer and that any other benefits derived from its use are simply added advantages. "We cannot sell it as a pesticide, herbicide, fungicide or as a foliar nutrient," he said. "As soon as you start making claims that the product can be used for such purposes it needs to undergo registration procedures.

According to Toby Jones, pesticide registration branch chief of the California Department of Food and Agriculture, "Polymers are free from the registration process as long as manufactures don't overstep their bounds."

Jones said most foliar polymers are listed as anti-transpirants, which are exempt from registration. "But if the label or salesman makes claims that it is a fertilizer or that it will act as an adjuvant aiding in the effectiveness of a pesticide, then it would require registration just like any other pesticide."

Gallender said that his product should be mixed only with water and not tank-mixed with pesticides. A water pH range of five to eight is necessary for the material to remain in solution. "If it is mixed with waler that is too acidic or too alkaline it will cause the polymer to curdle in the tank, requiring dumping and flushing with water. An ammonia water solution can be used for removal of dried product," Anti-Stress is sold in 2.5-gallon containers with a suggested retail price is $34.50 a gallon. "Most of the sales are through chemical distributors," Gallender said.

Polymer Ag, like other polymer manufacturers, have not had buyers beating a path to its door. In fact, manufacturers have spent as much time defending the products as they have promoting them because of failures from previous polymer suppliers.

"It has been a tough market, but I must say that at the same time I'm very happy with the response in the two years we've been selling it." Gallender said.

"Like many others, I thought it was snake oil," said Alan Nakashima, a pest control advisor for Watson Ag in Caruthers. "But then I saw what the product was apparently doing, and I was amazed."

Besides grapes, Nakashima said it was used successfully last year by citrus growers for frost control and by apple growers to protect crops from sunburn.

"There's a lot of brainstorming out there." noted Nakashima. "One grower approached me with the idea of using it as a tool in grafting." By mixing the polymer with water and painting it on the grafted area, it would cut down on the moisture loss from the wood. "If it could raise the take from 85% to 95%, then it would be worth using."

Agribusiness

Fresh Fruit & Raisin News

P.O.BOX 669 - SANGER, CALIFORNIA VOLUME 7 - NUMBER 3 - MARCH '91

Merk Farms Uses Polymer Spray

For Frost And Drought Relief:

So far the 1991 growing season has struck agriculture with the most damaging freeze of the 20th century and promises a 5th year of drought. Growers across the state are seeking ways of minimizing the debilitating effects of frost and lack of water With the State of California cutting-off farmers on the east side of the Valley and more water reductions inevitable, agriculture needs to take the lead in water conservation. Our city neighbors are going to keep growing with little regard to our needs and will continue to exhaust this vital resource. We need to do all we can to survive these dry and difficult times.

Don and Dan Merk of Merk Farms, Incorporated, are combating frost and drought with a biodegradable spray called Anti-Stress 55O. Merk Farms has been a family-owned-and-operated business since March of 1979, Their operations include general farming, farm land management, farm labor contracting, farm land leases, and also harvesting & hauling. Currently, they farm over 1100 acres of citrus, almonds, walnuts, peaches, nectarines, plums, and grapes.

"We stared using anti-stress 2 years ago and really like the results we had," expressed Don Merk. "Last year we used it on our table grapes. In an average season we have 12/16 to 14/16 size berries. Last year we had 15/16 berries and the only difference in our crop treatment was the use of AntiStress. This year we're using it on everything we have."

"For frost protection we put it on our citrus," stated Dan Merk. "For the past 2 years we've experienced better packouts for our growers due to less frost scar and sunburn. Although it dropped way too far below freezing this year to save our crop, I'm convinced that it helped minimize tree damage. Where this is really going to help though, is getting us through this drought."

Anti-Stress 550 is produced by Polymer Ag Incorporated in Fresno, California. Its environmentally safe formula is sprayed over trees and vines with conventional spray equipment and adds a thin poly sheet over the entire plant. It reduces transpiration and plant stress by 30 to 35%. Moisture is retained within the plant which results in more efficient use of water and improved plant growth and crop yield. Adding 4 to 6 degrees F of frost protection, Anti-Stress is a useful foliar spray in the cold winter months with no harmful ingredients that are toxic to the environment. In the season to come with a drought in full force, its water-saving potential is the topic of much conversation among farmers.

"This year to conserve, we are going to cut back our water use on our wine and raisin grapes," expressed Don Merk. "The key to getting through this drought is to use less water where we can. Using this polymer we can reduce water use while reducing plant stress."

The Merks were also pleased with another benefit they experienced using this product. "When we used it last year we found that we didn't need to spray for hoppers in some cases," states Don. This is an added benefit we didn't expect. but I'm not one to complain. At such a low cost per acre, this is a terrific material to help us reduce our chemical use."

The drought is guaranteed to affect the 1991 growing season and agriculture needs to battle it in any way we can. Dan Merk is one grower who is determined to use any means he can to make sure that drought doesn't win the war. "We're going to be utilizing Anti-Stress to its highest potential, to help us through this drought. The best way to reduce water use is to use it more efficiently- Anti-Stress helps us do just that.

The Florida Nurseryman, October 1992 - pages 22-24 - by Cathey L. Bateman

New Tools May Help Growers Protect Crops Against Freeze

A spray that helps foliage retain moisture and fabric covers may help nurserymen.

Unless you have the luxury of running your operation out of a state-of-the art greenhouse facility, like the one above, chances are you're going to need to think about freeze protection.

If the nurseryman can heat the production area, he need worry only about power outages during cold weather. If he's not undercover, the options are different.

While using water to protect against freeze remains the first line of defense for many nurserymen, the damage caused by icing over delicate plants very often makes the cure as difficult as the disease. New, less intrusive methods having been emerging over the last few years. Among these are fabric coverings which offer the protection of 'blanketing' plant material, other fabrics which are used under shade cloth, in effect insulating the house, and a polymer material which is sprayed directly on the plant, providing a mini-greenhouse effect. (Photo: Aglaonema, in a tent, temperature outside 18 degrees shows AntiStress results on left side of plant.)

Fabric Protection

American Agrifabrics' Agryl protective plant covers came on the market four or five years ago, and have been gaining popularity. It's the closet thing to covering the crop with a blanket, without the weight. The most popular among nursery growers are Agryl P30 and P50. Both are ultra-light (.9 and 1.5 oz per sq. yd., respectively), and available in three widths, 13, 21, and 34 feet. The lighter fabric P30, offers freeze protection down to 26 degrees for one or more nights, P50, Agrifabrics' heavier material, protects down to 24 degrees.

Ken Stritz, of Asgrow Florida, Boynton Beach, said there are a number of reasons for the success of fabric covers. "The covers work as designed," he said. "They collect heat in the daytime, and then trap latent heat at night." An additional benefit, he added, is realized when irrigation is used. At freezing temperatures, icing develops that seals fabric pores. This produces an 'igloo' effect that improves the cover's warming effect on plants."

Pat Ford, of Rainbow Farms, Boca Raton,started using covers three years ago on a half-acre of liner materials. Since then, he's expanded that use to some 10 acres of Dwarf lxora and Hibiscus container plants. "If you can get that three to four degrees," he said, "It can mean you'll be the only one in the market in freeze years. And you'll make money."

Insulating the Shade House

Pak Unlimited has been producing a protective woven polypropylene material since 1986 for use in winterizing shade houses. The fabric adds a second layer of protection, effectively insulating the house against the chill winds of Winter. Larry Galloway, president of the Norcross, Georgia-based company said the line consists of basically two products, the first of which was developed during the Winter of 1986, hence its name, EX 86. The material is a closely-woven, white-tinted flat yarn-type polypropylene material. "The advantage we have over polyethylene films is that we can sew, tape, and grommet to size rather than having to use the sizes offered by most polyethylene mills," noted Galloway. The most common utilization of the relatively new material is installation inside flat shade houses. "It 's generally put up on cables," he said. "it can be made up into side curtains as well. The fabric acts to block off the cold winds in the Fall and Winter." The fabric also holds and spreads interior heating, and can also be iced over. During the 1989 freeze, the new material got a particularly good work out in Florida, according to Galloway. "We had no plant failures inside our houses at all" he commented. "The fabric was very well accepted after that test."

The material allows penetration of water, and is highly UV stabilized. Under shade, it will last through several seasons. "We've seen it go up to six seasons, under shade," Galloway noted. The EX 86 has about a 30 percent shade factor. "The new one we came out with last year, WF 91, offers 10 to 11 percent shade. Both fabrics are lightweight (about 3 ounces per square yard), and are available in widths, (unseamed) up to 12 feet, and (seamed) up to 30 or 40 feet wide and two to three hundred feet long.

Polymer Offers Mini-Greenhouse Effect

About five years ago, a small California-based company, Polymer AG, began working with a carbon chain polymer. The result was Anti-Stress 550 and the newest, Anti-Stress 2000.

Carolyn Gallender, company chemist, said the polymer, which is sprayed directly on the plant, creates a mini-greenhouse around each leaf. "The coating, which is actually a membrane, allows the plant to continue to transpire," she noted. The result is higher moisture retention in the plant cell, which reduces all forms of stress, including freeze.

The application does not interfere with normal stomatic activities or daily photosynthesis and remains soft. Maintaining its elastic qualities, the material does not restrict growth, and nutritional and other sprays will permeate the material.

The non-toxic, biodegradable polymer is not subject to EPA registration. It will last between 60 to 90 days on plant material, longer in greenhouse and shade house production. In terms of freeze protection, noted Gallender, that offers the advantage of providing protection well in advance of freeze warnings.

Anti-Stress, with extremely positive test results in agricultural crops, is beginning to be noticed by the green industry. Gallender said nurserymen are reporting up to 10 degrees protection. Although she suggests it be used as part of an overall program, she has seen examples of its freeze protection potential. "We had an aglaonema, which is not supposed to go below 50 degrees at a plant show we attended. Half of the plant was sprayed. We were in a tent, outdoors, and the temperature that night got down to near 18 degrees. Half of that plant looked almost dead, and the other half was fine."

California nurserymen have discovered the new polymer, and are using it in combination with other freeze protection efforts, including copper sprays and covers. Steven L. Nielsen, McCall Nurseries, Inc., Fresno, CA, began using AntiStress about three years ago for frost protection. The Fresno growing area experiences winter temperatures sometimes in the low to mid-twenties. "The first year we used it alone, at a 1:20 ratio on our tender bedding plants, ferns, podocarpus, and anything we thought had potential for frost damage," he said. "The following years, we used both Anti-Stress and Agrifabric on all of our flowering annuals."

Using the Anti-Stress alone, Nielsen said he gets between four to six degrees of protection. Used in combination with copper fungicides (which reduces ice-forming bacteria), he figures he gets eight to ten degrees in freeze protection. Adding fabric covers, his protection regime is complete.

The program got a real workout during the killer freeze which visited California in 1991. "We had temperatures down to 18 degrees, with highs around 32 to 34 degrees for a period of four or five days," he reported. "Of the materials we protected, we did suffer some burn. But as to outright losses, we had less than 2%. Other nurseries in the area lost 30%, and those a little further north lost up to 50%."

Protecting product against freeze has always been part of the cost of doing business in the nursery industry. Cost effectiveness of the new materials will be determined by price, material longevity, and most important, the number of saleable plants available for sale after a freeze. That information will be gathered as growers continue to invest in these relatively new technologies. For now, the positive reports coming from the nursery industry will most likely encourage growers to test these materials for themselves. -- FN

Published Oct.1995 in
"THE FRUIT GROWER" (England) pg. 11-12, by: John Gilbert

STRESS - and How You Can Beat It!

Fruit growers in the UK know that one of the greatest risks that they face each spring is low temperature or frost damage to developing buds or flowers. Growers in the east of England, whether north or south of the Thames know that cold, searing, easterly winds can cause irreparable harm to flower parts in the late April/early May period.

There has been only one serious strategy employed as an 'antidote' to frost damage; the use of Gibberillins and other growth auxins in 'crop set' mixes - that have been found to stimulate fruit formation by inducing a degree of parthenocarpism in young developing fruitlets damaged by frost.

A new product being employed on an ever increasing acreage basis by one of Kent's premier fruit growers, Highland Investment Company Ltd., is Anti-Stress, produced by Polymer AG of Fresno, California. Chris Jarvis, Manager of Highland Court Farm at Bridge, near Canterbury, has been trialing Anti-Stress since 1992, and in 1995 sprayed all his Cox and pear acreage. Our orchard reporter met with Chris to investigate the success found with this almost totally unknown compound.

The fruit growing site at Highland Court is relatively high at over 300ft above sea level, and many of its orchards face due east. Although not a true frost-risk site when compared to those in lower lying areas, it can experience difficult conditions around bloom, with persistently cold easterly winds often causing scorch and leaf stress by early spring. In 1992 Chris was introduced to Anti-Stress by Graham Amos of Agrichandlers of Basingstoke, and a two-acre investigative trial was set out.

"We set out to protect the developing flower clusters against frost and stress," explained Chris. "We applied two 3-pint applications in 50 gallons/acre, the first at late bud burst, the second at late green cluster, seeking to seal in the developing flower parts from the effects of low temperature. Whilst we did record some significant low temperatures in 1992 (on our METOS field data logger) around blossom time, to be totally honest with you, we forgot about the trial through the season until harvest, not being aware of any visual differences."

"It wasn't until we started picking that we realised the need for many more extra bins in the trial area, havingÉ the impression of 'a little more fruit' pre-harvest" said Chris. "What turned out on recording accurately our harvest data was a 76% yield increase - 947 x 30 lbs/acre in the Anti-Stress Trial Plot against 537 x 30 lbs/acre in the normal Colmans Orchard plot." (The fruit is packed in 30lb boxes.)

Highland Court's Packhouse Administrator, John Gilbert was also pleased at the result when viewing the fruit at the grader; "The skin condition was cleaner, with less russeting than the untreated fruit, and fruit size was similar, which is surprising given that neither treated nor untreated plots were thinned. The results took us all totally by surprise, and were extremely exciting."

The trial was repeated in 1993, with a closer attention to monitoring the performance of the compound. The METOS logger did not record any incidents of frost, but persistently cold, easterly winds caused leaf scorch to both the Cox rosette leaves in the trial area, and to the surrounding Poplar windbreaks. The same doses and timings were used in the trial, in a generally high-yielding year. The carefully picked plots recorded a 22% increase in yield over the control areas, the Anti-Stress plot yielding 830 x 30 lbs/acre, control 679 x 30 lbs/acre.

"The feeling we had right through the season was that the overall leaf condition was superior on the trial plot, being darker and greener," revealed Chris. "Even at 30 gallons/acre applied you could feel the 'tackiness' of the Anti-stress compound on the leaf surface, almost suggesting a second skin to the leaf."

Unfortunately the compound was unavailable in the UK for trials in 1994, being stuck administratively in mainland Europe, However Chris Jarvis was sufficiently confident to spray all his 160 acres of Cox in the spring of 1995, and 7 acres of Conference and Cornice Pears at Highland Court. Three applications were applied to the pears - 3 pints in 25 gallons/acre on Feb 23, 2 pints in 20 gallons/acre on March 20, and 2 pints in 20 gallons/acre on April 4; all using their standard Berthoud orchard sprayer. Controls were left in four representative orchards for yield and grade comparisons, and no other compounds were included in the tank mix.

"It is almost impossible to visually assess differences at the present time (fruitlet stage)," said Chris. "We are currently doing crop estimation counts which may reveal numerical differences. In the pear plots we can see a greater density of developing fruitlets on sprayed trees, but it is not clear whether there are more pears /acre at this stage. However, we will wait for harvest data to give us the definitive results of the use of the compound for 1995." (See Results)

"One secondary trial from 1993 that is worth commenting on is an area of 250 trees, 2 rows of Cox, where we applied about 8 spray rounds of 1 pint Anti-Stress in 10 gallons/acre, and used no other crop protection compounds throughout the season" added Chris. "We did not see any scab or mildew infections, nor detect any pest incidence on fruit or foliage, with leaf condition looking good throughout the season."

"It leads me to wonder what this compound, a polymer that creates a semi-permeable membrane, is actually doing to the surface areas of the tree. It prompts me to look at other uses and applications where stress has a detrimental effect on fruit size and quality, or tree growth and bud formation, particularly as we do not have irrigation resources for our orchards."