PHILADELPHIA, PA - With all the hard work and dedication that goes into farming, it only makes sense that suppliers want to protect the fruits of their labor. AgroFresh is offering them an innovative solution to do just that in the form of its Harvista™ 1.3 SC near-harvest solution for blueberries. Growers have increased control over the ripening process and bottom-line projections through its usage.

“Harvista 1.3 SC’s unique mode of action against ethylene, the mechanical changes associated with blueberry softening are delayed and the softening rate is decreased. This can result in firmer blueberries and more marketable yield potential, allowing growers to make the most of every blueberry harvest,” explains Juan Francisco Vargas, Technical Services Manager, R&D for AgroFresh. “AgroFresh is present in all of the key blueberry growing areas of the world, including the United States and Chile, with Harvista approved and in use.”

Before being used for blueberries, Harvista has demonstrated effectiveness in apples in North America for years. It first became available in the U.S. in 2008 and is now labeled for use in other crops such as pears, blueberries, and cherries. When it comes to blueberries, Harvista can deliver flexible harvest management, greater blueberry firmness retention, increased pack-out volume, and reduced defects.

“This solution features a unique mode of action that blocks ethylene receptors to delay the effects of ethylene on the maturation and softening of blueberries,” adds Vargas. “Ethylene is a plant’s natural hormone that accelerates these processes. Based on 1-Methylcyclopropene (1-MCP), Harvista 1.3 SC delays the acceleration of maturity processes caused by ethylene.”

As demonstrated in an AgroFresh study on file, blueberry firmness was well maintained versus control on three separate occasions.

“We had excellent results with the pre-harvest application of Harvista on blueberries,"says Brandon Wade, Plant Manager of Alma Berry Farms. "More specifically, we saw an increase of around 10 percent in pack out on Legacy and Camellia, 5 percent on Optimus, and around 2 percent on Suziblue. In addition, the packing line ran much more smoothly with the firmer berries."

Wade went on to note that, "If you set the lugs from the field side by side, there was a noticeable difference between the treated and non-treated berries. The treated showed dramatically more consistent and firmer berries. The service provided by the AgroFresh team is amazing. They were there from start to finish, walking us through every part of the process. AgroFresh is a company that truly cares about their customer. We look forward to expanding our post-harvest program with AgroFresh!”

Amid recent weather patterns affecting growing operations around the world, AgroFresh is focused on helping berry producers achieve greater quality, consistency, and marketable yield potential through Harvista and its full portfolio of post-harvest quality and freshness solutions.

For more unique solutions from across the fresh produce industry, keep reading AndNowUKnow.

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